Buildings account for approx. 40 percent of energy consumption and approx. 36 percent of CO2 emissions in the EU. Therefore, the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, also called the building directive, is an important element in the EU's package of directives, which must contribute to meeting the overall EU target of a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 55% compared to 1990.

Against this background, on 15 December 2021, the EU Commission presented a proposal for a revision of the Building Directive. This plan must now be negotiated between the member states and in the European Parliament.

In CONCITO's and the Green Transition Denmark's project Buildings and Green Transition, a commentary has been prepared on the proposal from the EU Commission to inform about challenges, shortcomings and opportunities for improvement.

It is positive that efforts for energy renovation are being strengthened

There are several good measures in the EU Commission's proposal as it stands. One of the most important is that efforts for energy renovation of existing buildings are strengthened, among other things by setting forward-looking minimum requirements for energy-related improvement of the worst of the existing buildings, requirements for national action plans for renovation efforts, etc.

The climate impact from building materials is overlooked

Unfortunately, a number of absolutely necessary efforts are still missing in the draft of a revised Building Directive. The proposal, for example, does not contain requirements for the climate effect from used building materials. This despite the fact that a large part of the climate effect from new construction in particular can be related to the embedded CO2 in the building materials used. In addition, there is also a lack of regulation of the construction site's energy consumption and material waste.

Buildings must be seen as an integral part of the energy system

Another inappropriateness of the directive is that buildings and their supply of renewable energy are regulated as if the buildings were not an integral part of the overall energy system. This should be rectified, as buildings' energy needs cannot be regulated as individual islands, but must be regulated in interaction with the entire energy system. For example, there is a lack of opportunity for buildings' energy needs to be met from renewable energy produced in the electricity system.

The building directive will have great significance for the future regulation of construction in Denmark, and not least in the rest of the EU. Therefore, it is also necessary that the directive is designed with as great an effect as possible in terms of reducing the climate impact of buildings. At the same time that the directive must take into account the many purposes a building has, also in relation to delivering healthy buildings with a good indoor climate, long durability and high quality.

Read more in the in-depth commentary on the directive here: Commentary note

The Buildings and Green Transition project is carried out jointly by CONCITO and the Green Transition Denmark. Read more about the project here