Energy Performance of Building Directive: answers to the EC consultation

Reviewing the EPBD is key to adapting the buildings regulatory framework to the increased climate ambition of the EU and will go along with the ‘Fit for 55’ package which will be release in July.

In its answer to the consultation, Glass for Europe underlined the need to keep the EPBD focus on the energy performance of buildings. The Energy Performance of Building Directive could contribute to delivering a zero emission building stock by combining measures aiming at limiting the energy needs and emissions reduction throughout the lifetime of the building. Nevertheless, its main focus should remain the improvement of the energy performance of buildings as energy consumption will continues to represent the major share of emissions in a building whole life-cycle in the years to come.

To Glass for Europe, to achieve a fully decarbonized building stock, the energy efficiency ambition must be raised and specific energy efficiency objective should be set for buildings. While the European total use of renewable energy will rise, an energy efficient and decarbonized building stock will allow renewable energy to be directed to sectors which, contrary to the building sector, cannot achieve zero energy consumption.

Reopening the Energy Performance of Building Directive will offer the opportunity to strengthen the minimum energy performance requirements for building elements and allow them to go beyond the “cost-optimality” criterion, which often leads to obligations below actual market standards as it is the case for windows. The “cost-optimality” criterion should be replaced by a criterion that ensures compatibility with the 2050 climate neutrality objective to avoid CO2 lock-in effect in the building sector.