The interinstitutional negotiations on the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), submitted by the Commission in December 2021 (see EUROPE 12854/13), are continuing.
The last trilogue meeting, described as a “10-hour marathon” on the X network (formerly Twitter) by the European Parliament’s rapporteur, Ciarán Cuffe (Greens/EFA, Irish), ended at around 4.30am on Friday 13 October. Despite the absence of definitive conclusions, all stakeholders agree that significant progress has been made.
Negotiations led to a compromise proposed by MEPs on minimum energy performance standards (Art. 9, paragraphs 2 and 6), which emphasises an average approach across the entire building stock rather than an individual requirement based on harmonised energy classes. In this way, Member States will design their own standards based on their national energy classification systems.
The majority of renovations (55%) will have to be carried out in the least efficient buildings, corresponding to the bottom 43% of the national stock.
Zero emission buildings. The construction standard known as ‘ZEB’ (zero-energy building) (Art. 7, 9b, annex III) will be established at national level, based on the optimal cost analyses carried out by the countries concerned. Although buildings complying with this standard must not emit greenhouse gases from fossil fuels on site, several alternatives for energy and thermal regulation are accepted.
These include: the use of locally produced renewable energy, renewable energy from an energy community, energy from efficient district heating or cooling systems and electricity from a carbon-free grid.
If technical or financial constraints prevent these solutions, it would then be possible to connect to other energy sources on the grid.
From 2030, all new buildings will have to assess their Global Warming Potential (GWP) across their entire life cycle. Member States will define the maximum thresholds for GWP within a framework established at EU level.
Energy poverty. The financial provisions (Art. 15, 15a) focus on promoting green loans and mortgages via a delegated act. There are also plans to abolish subsidies for fossil fuel boilers by 2025.
Electric mobility. Measures have been introduced to promote the deployment of electric vehicle charging points in residential and non-residential buildings with parking spaces. In addition, special attention has been paid to bicycle parking.
Finally, although there are no plans to harmonise national energy classification systems, a common model for energy performance certificates (EPCs) will apply, with an unchanged validity of 10 years.
These certificates, ranging from A, and sometimes A+, to G, will clearly identify the energy performance of buildings.
The next trilogue, the date of which has yet to be determined, promises to be decisive in finalising these proposals. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)