Fight climate change with the Buildings Directive
Zero energy homes require greater ambition

[Brussels, 16 February 2009]: In light of today’s public hearing before the ITRE Committee [1], EEB [2] welcomes the European Commission’s proposal to increase the scope of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) as a potentially powerful tool in the fight against climate change. EEB applauds the move to expand the Directive to include all housing stock in the EU and not just large buildings, but would like to see stronger ambition, especially for new houses, such as a faster obligation for zero energy buildings.

“While expanding the scope of the Directive is a great step forward, it should require new buildings be energy neutral as soon as possible, but no later than 2015, which is the date the UK has already set as their national deadline,” asserted Dr. Pendo Maro, EEB Energy Policy Officer. “The UK’s action shows that construction of zero energy buildings is not fiction, while examples already exist in several other Member States as well.”

In order to fully exploit the energy saving potential in the building sector by 2020, the revision proposal needs to be further improved and combined with major financial support programmes.

EEB is suggesting the following amendments be added to the recast proposal before this Thursday’s deadline, ahead of Parliamentary votes later in the spring: [3]
· Minimum energy performance requirements for existing buildings
· Zero or positive energy requirements for all new buildings by 2015
· Requirements for public authorities to lead by example
· Clear EU criteria for independent energy experts
· Define “major renovation”. The Commission proposes a threshold of cost for renovation to be higher than 25% of the value of a building. This is much too high and will lead to very few cases where the Directive will be applicable. EEB proposes 5% as the threshold instead.

To view EEB’s complete position paper on the EPBD recast, including suggested text for amendments, visit
http://www.eeb.org/activities/energy_policy/090213-EEB-EPBDPositionpaper-FINAL.pdf


For more information contact:-
Dr. Pendo Maro, EEB Energy Policy Officer, Tel: +32 2289 1302, pendo.maro@eeb.org
John Hontelez, EEB Secretary General, Tel: +32 2289 1091, hontelez@eeb.org
Vanessa Bulkacz, EEB Press and Publications Officer, +32 2289 1309, press@eeb.org

Notes:-
[1] Industry, Research and Energy
[2] EEB is Europe’s largest federation of environmental citizens’ groups with over 150 member organisations throughout Europe.
[3] The ITRE Committee will vote on the EPBD on 9 March 2009; it will then be voted upon in the April plenary session of the European Parliament.