• 09.07.2010

Energy performance in buildings: the new EU Directive

By 2020 all new buildings must be 'almost zero energy'.
It entered into force last July 8th Directive 2010/31/CE on the energy performance of buildings. Published in European Journal of June 18, 2010, the new directive will replace, from 1 February 2012, Directive 2002/91/EC.

The new directive promotes the improvement of energy performance of buildings, taking into account local conditions and climate and effectiveness in terms of costs, and outlines the general common framework for calculating the energy performance of buildings to which Member States must comply .
 
The method of calculation will be determined based on the thermal characteristics of the building and its internal divisions (heat capacity, insulation, passive heating, cooling elements, thermal bridges), facilities for heating, hot water, cooling , lighting, and on the basis of building orientation, passive solar systems and solar protection, etc..

The directive states that the minimum energy performance requirements (that the individual States to develop and update every five years) should be applied to new buildings, existing and restructured, and elements of the building envelope and systems for providing important technical energy.
 
New buildings: before the work should be assessed the technical, environmental and economic feasibility of alternative systems of high efficiency, if available, including: decentralized energy supply systems based on renewables, cogeneration, district heating or cooling; heat pumps.
 
Existing buildings undergoing major renovation: they must improve their energy performance in order to meet the minimum requirements, the restructuring should be evaluated alternative systems with high efficiency.
 
Technical systems for buildings: the States must establish minimum requirements for (heating systems, hot water systems, air conditioning, large ventilation systems) in order to optimize consumption and may promote 'introduction of smart metering systems.

May be excluded: the buildings protected; the buildings alculto, temporary buildings, industrial sites, workshops, agricultural buildings, residential buildings used less than 4 months a year, the stand-alone buildings under 50 m2.

The Directive requires to be drawn up plans to increase the number of "near-zero energy buildings", ie high energy performance of buildings, where energy demand is very low or almost zero should be covered very significantly to energy renewable sources. By 31 December 2020 all new buildings must be "almost zero energy buildings. For public buildings this deadline is brought forward to December 31, 2018.
 
By June 30, 2011, Member States should provide funding and incentives to help improve building energy and the transition to almost zero energy buildings.
 
 Member States should establish a system of energy certification of buildings. The energy performance certificate will include the energy performance of a building and reference values, such as minimum energy performance. The certificate, valid for a maximum of 10 years, will contain additional information and recommendations for the improved or optimal according to the costs of providing energy.
 
The energy performance certificate will be issued:
- For the buildings or residential units constructed, sold or leased;
- For buildings where a portion of 500 m2 is occupied by public and serving the public. After five years of entry into force, the threshold is lowered to 500 m2 to 250 m2.
 
It is not mandatory to issue the certificate if it is already available and validoun certificate issued in accordance with Directive 2002/91/EC.
 
In the case of construction, sale or lease, the energy performance certificate must be shown to the prospective buyer or new lessee and delivered to the purchaser or new tenant.
In case of sale or lease of a building before its construction, the Member may provide that the seller provides an assessment of future building energy performance, in which case, the energy performance certificate must be issued before the end of the building. In case of offer for sale or lease of buildings or building units with an energy performance certificate, energy performance indicator will be shown in all the commercials. In public buildings, energy performance certificate must be displayed to the public.
 
The Directive regulates Finally, inspection of heating buildings with boilers with an output exceeding 20 kW and air conditioning systems with an output exceeding 12 kW.
 
Certification of energy performance of buildings and inspection of heating and air conditioning should be carried out independently by qualified and / or credited, acting as self-employed or as employees of public or private companies . The accreditation experts will take account of their competence. Even control systems for energy performance certificates and inspection reports of the systems must be independent.