Europe calls for change
EU 2020 Climate and Energy Package
In December 2008 , EU leaders reached agreement over an energy and climate change 'package' to deliver ambitious objectives of slashing greenhouse-gas emissions 20% compared to 1990 (or 30% in the context of an international agreement), increasing renewable energies to 20% of total energy production, and cutting energy consumption by 20% of projected levels - by improving energy efficiency, all by 2020.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
As 40% of our energy is used in buildings the largest contribution to saving energy is by driving energy efficiency in buildings. One of the easiest ways to do this is through the insulation of new and existing buildings.
The Energy Performance in Buildings Directive (EPBD) was the first main legislative instrument that set energy use and efficiency targets for buildings across the Member States. It entered into force in 2006, and recently the Commission set out to improve the requirements of the Directive. In November 2009, the European Council and European Parliament finally came to an agreement on the recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
The EPBD Recast
Thanks to the EPBD recast that took place in November 2009, all new builds across the entire EU will need to be ‘nearly’ zero-energy by 2020. Furthermore, all government owned or occupied new buildings will have to achieve the same level by 2018. Under the recast Member States must put in place measures to increase the number of zero-energy buildings in terms of refurbishment.
In the previous EPBD, only buildings above 1.000m² had to improve their energy efficiency levels when undergoing major renovation. Now, all buildings undergoing major renovations will have to make improvements to energy efficiency.
Trends plotted for national targets show that of the EU Member States, France, Germany and the UK are already in line to meet the 2020 commitments and further 2050 targets. The table below shows the decrease in energy demand in buildings for these countries until 2020 in relation to the EU “nearly zero energy house” target.
Source: BDH and Knauf Insulation estimation