Energy performance of buildings. Recast

In a public deliberation, the Council took note of the state of play and procedures concerning the so-called "energy efficiency package", which includes the following three proposals:

·        an energy performance of buildings directive;

·        an energy labelling directive;

·        a regulation on labelling of tyres with respect to fuel efficiency.

The Council has been working intensively on the proposals and has already adopted the regulation on labelling of tyres and reached an informal agreement with the European Parliament on the two directives. Nevertheless, the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty requires some adaptations mainly concerning the legal basis and the comitology provisions. Consultations are ongoing between the institutions on these issues.

The revised legislation on the energy performance of buildings provides in particular for:

·        all new buildings must be nearly zero energy buildings by 2020 and for buildings occupied by public authorities by 2018. Member States should draw up national plans to increase the number of "nearly zero energy buildings", whose energy needs should to a very significant extent be covered by energy from renewable sources, including renewable energy produced on-site or nearby;

·        the public sector should assume a leading role: public buildings with a total floor area over 500m2 and frequently visited by the public will have to display energy performance certificates visibly. In five years, this threshold will be lowered to 250 m2;

·        minimum energy performance requirements for buildings or building units, in order to achieve a "cost-optimal level" (the energy performance level which leads to the lowest cost during the estimated economic life-cycle);

·        minimum energy performance requirements when a major renovation is to be carried out in existing buildings or building units;

·        regular inspections of heating and air-conditioning systems;

·        independent control systems for energy performance certificates and inspection reports.