Eficiencia

Steering through the maze #2
Nearly zero energy buildings: achieving the EU 2020 target

Updated 8 February 2011

February 2011 © European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy

© Liane Cary/SCANPIX

Steering through the maze #2 Nearly zero energy buildings: achieving the EU 2020 target
!"#$%&'&&&%(#)*&%+"%),,#&,%$&-.+&*%+"%+/&%$&'.,+%"0%+/&%12345%67*.+&*%8%9&:$#.$;%>% BackgroundFollowing the European Commission’s proposal in November 2008 for an update of the 2002 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the recast was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union on 19 May 2010. One of the highlights of the recast is a strengthening of the energy performance requirements of new as well as existing buildings across the EU. For newbuildings, the recast fixes 2020 as the deadline for all new buildings to be “nearly zero energy” (and even sooner for public buildings – by the end of 2018). For existing buildings, Member States are required to draw up national plans to increase the number of nearly zero energy buildings, though no specific targets have been set. However, the Directive does not clearly define what a “nearly zero energybuilding” is, either for new build or refurbishment of existing buildings. Article 2(1a) gives a purely qualitative definition: A “nearly zero energy building” is a building that has a very high energy performance. The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources producedon-site or nearby. The timescales are further amplified in Article 9 of the Directive, which states that Member States shall ensure that: (a) by 31 December 2020, all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings; and (b) after 31 December 2018, new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings. This paper considers the practicalities of various low/zeroenergy targets and illustrates where a number of Member States are on their journey towards nearly zero energy buildings. The position in Europe is compared with other countries/regions. A case study on the UK’s path to defining zero carbon buildings is also provided. A set of appendices is included: • Appendix 1 discusses some of the issues pertaining to terminology and definitions around buildingsthat consume very low or zero energy (or carbon), including those with net energy production (“energy positive”) • Appendix 2 reproduces Article 9 of Energy Performance of Buildings Directive • Appendix 3 contains a selection of relevant information sources • Appendix 4 provides miscellaneous publications and articles • Appendix 5 is a commentary on UK’s Zero Carbon Target • Appendix 6 providesabstracts on low/zero energy buildings from recent eceee and ACEEE summer studies

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Is Zero Energy Achievable? In determining the level of ambition to set in the recast of the EPBD, the European Commission undertook an Impact Assessment.1 Several options were assessed, including Option D4: Setting up EU–wide low or zero energy/carbon buildings/passive house requirements. Compared to theother options for improving the energy performance of buildings assessed by the Commission, this option gave by far the largest energy and carbon savings and resulted in the largest number of jobs created (240,000-580,000). It also had a low administrative burden. However, they considered it may not be practical to introduce low energy building requirements in the short-term in all Member States,due to the pertaining low penetration rates, higher costs, lack of trained professionals and low readiness of the construction industry to deliver large quantities of low energy buildings in all EU Member States. In conclusion, the Commission felt that such a requirement would pose a significant challenge to the construction industry to build such homes and would increase prices by 7% to 15%. It...