Irish Regions Office Website

November 21, 2009

New energy standards in buildings

2021 will almost certainly signal the cut-off point after which all new buildings in the EU will have to be powered largely from renewable sources, including by means of on-site production, and meet tougher energy-efficiency standards. This follows a 17 November deal between MEPs and EU Member States, pending approval early next year from the European Parliament as a whole, that what's being termed a 'nearly zero emissions' standard should apply from that time onwards.

This updating of the 2002 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, had become the subject of prolonged and difficult negotiation between the two institutions and was being seen as a test of the EU's credibility ahead of the UN climate summit in Copenhagen. The heating, cooling and lighting of buildings accounts for around 40% of the EU's carbon dioxide emissions. Governments will be responsible for defining the vague 'nearly zero' standards nationally but will also be required to draw up plans to promote the conversion of existing buildings to energy performance compliance over the coming years through such means as smart meters and high-efficiency heating,plumbing and air-conditioning systems. By mid-2011 they will also need to provide a list of national incentives including grants, technical assistance and loan schemes to assist with the transition. EU support will also be forthcoming.

A very significant further stipulation is that publicly owned (or rented) buildings will need to comply with the new standards by the end of 2018. While Ireland's Building Energy Rating (BER) system would appear to cover the new requirements for certification of all new build and market/rental properties, once national law is brought into line with the Directive (probably by 2012) the threshold at which this would apply for public buildings - if frequently visited by the public - will fall from the current 1000m2 to 500m2 and then as low as 250m2 by 2017. Some protected historic buildings, small houses (under 50m2), temporary buildings, holiday homes, industrial sites, low energy demand workshops and agricultural buildings, and places of religious worship are to be exempted from the terms of the Directive.

More information

Posted by iroronan at November 21, 2009 09:45 AM