Building Components
Round about one third up to 40 % of the final energy consumption of the EU are spend by buildings (service sector, private housing). The Commission considers that, with initiatives in this area, significant energy savings can be achieved, thus helping to attain objectives on climate change and security of supply. For that it is necessary to influence the energy demand of buildings.
One possible solution to the above problems is to reduce energy consumption by improving energy efficiency. Other possibilities are to reduce energy consumption by influencing the behaviours of the people living and working in the mentioned building types.
Under the framework of Community initiatives on climate change (commitments under the Kyoto Protocol) and security of supply (the Green Paper on security of supply) the European Union developed in the late 90th of the last century the Directive of the energy performance of buildings.
The Directive 2002/91/EC (EPBD) was adopted by the European Parliament on 16th December 2002 and entered into force on 4th January 2003. All Member States have had a period of three years in order to build up relevant systems and measures to transpose and implement the requirements.
The EPBD is set to promote the improvement of energy performance of buildings with four requirements to be implemented by the Member States:
1. General framework for a methodology of calculation of the integrated performance of buildings
2. Setting of minimum energy standards in new and existing buildings
3. Energy certification of buildings
4. Inspection and assessment of heating and cooling installations.
Energy certification (labelling) of buildings is the most important component of the EPBD. The Member States are obliged to ensure that when buildings are constructed, sold or rented out, an Energy Performance Certificate is made available to the owner or by the owner to the tenant or potential buyer. The certification shall also include advices and information on how to improve energy performance.
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