Buildings account for 36% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions. Just before the June general election, the European Parliament passed amendments to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) on the 12th, aiming to further reduce building emissions. The new regulations require all new buildings to be zero-carbon starting in 2030, with new buildings used or owned by public agencies required to meet the standard earlier, by 2028. The bill also includes regulations for energy-efficient renovations of older buildings, reducing the use of gas boilers, and installing solar photovoltaics.
This important bill on energy conservation in buildings only needs to pass the European Council to complete legislation, but in the chaos before the parliamentary election, foreign media said there are still variables.
Europe's push for net-zero construction: Historic buildings exempt
The Energy Efficiency of Buildings Directive, first introduced in 2002, is a key European law guiding building energy efficiency. According to the European Commission, buildings account for 36% of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions and 40% of its energy consumption. At the end of 2021, the Commission proposed amendments aimed at further reducing carbon emissions from buildings.
On the 12th, the European Parliament passed an amendment by 370 votes to 199, requiring that all new buildings must achieve zero carbon emissions from 2030, and new buildings used or owned by public agencies must meet the standards before 2028.
EU member states are requiring them to develop policies to reduce energy consumption in residential buildings, with the goal of a 16% reduction in primary energy consumption by 2030 and a 20-22% reduction by 2035. The new directive also mandates that all public and non-residential buildings of a certain size, as well as all new residential buildings, be equipped with solar photovoltaics starting in 2030.
Renovating older buildings involves complex issues of funding, regulations, and willingness, making it difficult to increase renovation rates. To address this, the European Union has set a target of renovating at least 16% of the least energy-efficient non-residential buildings (such as offices and schools) by 2030, increasing this to 26% by 2033. However, some agricultural buildings, historic buildings, and churches are exempt.
Europe's rightward turn adds uncertainty to parliamentary elections
The new Buildings Directive demonstrates the EU's commitment to carbon reduction, but compared to a draft from a year ago, the EU has postponed the target for net-zero buildings by two years. European news outlet Euractiv reports that the original proposal has been significantly scaled back, with the previously systematic renovation program becoming a vague target. Fortunately, the renovation rate for non-residential buildings remains ambitious.
It was not easy for the legislation to reach this point. With the rise of the right in Europe in recent years, right-wing MPs do not support this bill, which is in stark contrast to the enthusiastic atmosphere when the bill was first proposed.
Ciarán Cuffe, a Green Party member of the European Parliament, pointed out that the new directive will help reduce people's energy costs, provide thousands of local jobs for the EU and reduce Europe's carbon emissions.
The final hurdle for legislation is the Council, which will take effect at the end of 2026. While the Council typically resists reversals due to prior negotiations, in the current climate, no one is sure. A reporter from Euractiv wrote, "The bill's adventure isn't over yet."
References：
*European Parliament (March 12, 2024), Energy efficiency of buildings: MEPs adopt plans to decarbonise the sector
*Euractiv（2024/03/12），European Parliament votes through controversial buildings law
*Euractiv（2024/03/11），The EU’s controversial green buildings law risks failing at the finish line
Source: Environmental Information Centre
