Since May 2020, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive began impacting how buildings manage and demonstrate improvement in energy performance. Let’s take a look at what the directive means, how it’s been evolving as well as how smart sensors and building automation systems will be crucial to meeting legislation.
What is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive?
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) sets ambitious targets for improving the energy efficiency of all buildings. It is the European Union’s (EU’s) main piece of legislation, promoting the improvement in the energy performance of buildings. It seeks to encourage cleaner, more sustainable building stock, with the eventual aim of making all European buildings CO2-neutral by 2050.
What’s included in the directive?
The EU considers buildings to be responsible for approximately 36% of CO2 emissions and about 40% of the EU’s energy consumption. Therefore, the most recent directive (EU/2024/1275) is relevant to anyone in the development, investment, funding and utilities sectors.
Published on 19 June 2018, the directive came into force on 9 July 2018, outlining that:
- EU countries had to establish long-term renovation strategies for de-carbonising national building stocks by 2050.
- A common ‘smart readiness indicator’, or scheme for assessing the energy efficiency of building stock would be introduced.
- Smart technologies would be promoted through installation of building automation and control systems.
- Heating and air conditioning systems must be regularly inspected and their efficiency assessed in relation the building’s heating requirements.
- Electric vehicles would be supported with minimum infrastructure requirements.
- Health and wellbeing of building users, in terms of air quality and ventilation would be important.
What are the key obligations and timescales?
All member states were required to transpose the EPBD into national law in February 2020 and comply by March 2020. Since the initial compliance enforcement, there were numerous updates to the directive such as:
- Fit for 55 Package (2021): a legislative revision that included revised targets for zero-emission buildings and minimum energy performance standards
- Legislative discussions (2022): which formalised into stricter energy performance standards and renovation requirements
- Adoption of revised EPBD (2023): this update set new deadlines for zero-emission buildings and introduced renovation passports and a Smart Readiness Indicator
- Entry into Force (2024): The revised directive is legally binding since May, 28th and its aims are increased renovation rates, improved air quality and supporting sustainable mobility infrastructure
Although the UK gained a post-Brexit autonomy and hasn’t fully adopted the latest revisions (EU/2024/1275) of the EPBD, it has introduced measures such as:
- Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES),
- Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs),
- Display Energy Certificates (DECs for Public Buildings),
- Non-Domestic National Energy Efficiency Data Framework (ND-NEED)
- in 2025, the UK government is planning to introduce the Future Buildings Standard.
The European Commission, defines zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) as having very high energy performance, with the low amount of energy they do consume coming mainly from renewable sources on site or nearby.
Key Milestones and Deadlines
- 2025: by then all Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are to be based on a harmonised scale of energy performance
- 2026: The introduction of Smart Readiness Indicator. All new public buildings must be zero-emissions
- 2027: Non-residential buildings with a class G EPC must be renovated to class F or higher
- 2028: All new buildings must be zero-emission and equipped with solar technology
- 2030: The biggest milestone. Buildings to achieve EPC class E or higher. The directive aims at reducing GHG emissions in the building sector by at least 60% vs 2015 levels
How can smart building technology help?
Previously, the focus of energy performance directives and measures has been improving the building envelope, or outer shell – optimising insulation, for example. Now, it’s all about the regulation and control of technical building equipment, which is why monitoring and building automation feature so heavily.
Key areas where smart technology can help:
Healthy indoor climate
Exact requirements are currently unclear, but once minimum standards have been set for air quality and comfort levels, temperature and air-quality sensors could be used to monitor conditions and automate control.
Inspection of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems
Building automation and electronic monitoring has proven to be an effective and cost-efficient replacement for inspections. The directive emphasises that actual energy efficiency can only be assessed through regular monitoring. All heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems over 70kW must be regularly inspected and assessed in relation to the efficiency and sizing of the system against the requirements of the building, to optimise performance.
By 2025, non-residential building HVAC systems with an output of over 290 kW must be equipped with appropriate building automation systems that must be capable of:
- continuous monitoring, analyzing and adjusting energy usage
- detecting and informing building managers about energy efficiency losses
- Benchmarking the building’s energy performance
Installation of self-regulating devices
The directive strongly recommends the installation of self-regulating devices for individual room temperature control. Since control circuits require sensors, actuators and control equipment, this requirement can only be implemented through building automation.
Smart readiness indicator
The EPBD introduces the ‘smart readiness’ indicator concept. Defined as the building’s capacity to use information and communication technologies and electronic systems to adapt the operation of buildings to the needs of the occupants and the grid, improving the energy efficiency and overall performance of buildings. This will be introduced through smart systems and devices such as building automation and control systems, self-regulating indoor air temperature systems, built-in appliances, EV charging points and energy storage.
Get ahead of the game
There’s never been a better time to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality around your building. If you’re interested in using smart sensors to monitor and automate controls – but aren’t sure where to start – get in touch with our team.
The article was originally published on 26 June 2019, fact-checked and updated on 4th September 2024