The New EPBD: A New Standard for a More Sustainable Future

Miguel Segovia Martínez, GBCE Development and Content Area

It has been 22 years since the first Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) came into force. Two decades in which climate change has gone from being an abstract concept on panels of experts to something as tangible as sweat in March due to 35ºC, knee-deep water in the living room after torrential rains to pay 10€ for a litre of olive oil produced in an ever-dry countryside. Also, in the last twenty years, climate change and sustainability in general have gained space in the public and political agenda. 

Since the first Directive that sought to bring the Kyoto Protocol to the scale of buildings, much progress has been made in regulation, with successive modifications to the EPBD in 2012, in 2018 and, thanks to the momentum of the European Green Deal, in 2024. Many of the instruments that the EPBD has promoted are part of our daily work in building: the Energy Performance Certificates in Buildings (CEEE), boiler inspections or the Nearly Zero Energy Buildings standard itself. The EPBD has defined how our buildings perform. 

But have these instruments been enough to achieve the Kyoto commitments? Was that all we could do to limit the average increase of 1.5ºC? It seems obvious that it is not. As a result, the new EPBD has deployed a whole new range of policies and tools with the aim of increasing the number of deep renovations, removing barriers and reducing emissions from the sector. Examples of this include the National Building Renovation Plans, which will be the strategic reference document and will include the renovation trajectory of residential buildings; the deployment of One-Stop Shops for renovation; the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for tertiary buildings; the Building Passport, which will allow planning the renovation of each building over time, or the new generation of Energy Performance Certificates in Buildings, among others. 

The most transformative novelty it includes is the measurement of the Global Warming Potential (GWP) in the life cycle of the building. This represents a total change of perspective, both in the spirit of the legislation and in the practice of building. We have been trying to reduce the energy consumption of buildings for years, avoiding the underlying problem: emissions. Emissions are not only produced in the gas boiler of the house, but each element of the building carries an implicit carbon footprint in its materials and processes, and in the future, it will require more carbon to renovate or retire. The impacts of the building must be considered throughout its life cycle, throughout the value chain ("scopes 1, 2 and 3") ¹and in all its environmental impacts, starting with the urgency of climate change. For this, the #BuildingLife project has published the European and National roadmaps (e.g. Spain) for the decarbonization of the building sector. 

Under the Whole-Life Carbon approach, the most effective policy possible is building renovation. Around 90% of the current building stock will be in use by 2050. We have already spent our carbon budget on building them, so we have to improve them and keep using them. We must radically transform it to achieve not only very energy efficient buildings, but also accessible, resilient and beautiful. Our biggest barrier is that buildings are owned by citizens. Many of them. As a society, we must convince them that renovation is possible, and worthy.  

For this, One-Stop Shops (OSS) are one instrument proposed by EPBD and the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). They offer -and support- the Integrated Home Renovation Services, that is, services that facilitate owners during the process of renovation. Either public or private, Member States should assure that all citizens can access these services to get information, counselling, and support for renovating their homes. OSS can promote energy awareness that can utterly lead to renovations. OSS can be placed in vulnerable neighbourhoods so they can build confidence with the citizens and spark the demand for renovations. OSS can also help find financing or technical support for those already convinced. Already multiple OSS have joined within the EU Peers community to share knowledge and boost action. 

Even though the EPBD is not bold on One-Stop Shops, it must be one of the key policies that Member States must deploy as soon as possible. The EPBD will not be the magic wand for the decarbonisation of the building sector. It will not achieve any change if its transposition into national law is not ambitious. 

If Member States simply incorporate the minimum allowed by the Directive or fall behind, we will not achieve the climate targets. In Spain, the national government is strongly convinced to implement the Whole Life Carbon approach in the Building Code. On the other hand, One-Stop Shops are being promoted by privates (EOS Energy, Crolec…), regional governments (Opengela, Nasuvinsa…) or municipalities (Valencia, Getafe…). These are necessary steps, but is it enough? Is this all we can do to limit global temperature rise? I, for my part, will continue to ask for more ambition and speed even if I do it with water up to my knees.