Healthy buildings must be a top priority in EPBD review
The review of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has started. In its submission to the roadmap, Eurovent calls on the European Commission to mainstream indoor environmental quality (IEQ) considerations into the Directive. If this is done well, the EPBD could serve to achieve both healthier and more energy efficient buildings, leveraging the synergies between the two. Read the full Eurovent Position Paper on the review of the EPBD now.
About the review
The building sector is one of the largest energy consumers in the European Union. If the ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 is to be met, then energy efficiency renovation of the building stock must be significantly scaled up. The European Commission is reviewing the EPBD to check how it could be strengthened to help achieve this aim.
Eurovent position
The main object of the EPBD is energy efficiency, but in its Position Paper Eurovent warns that the health and wellbeing of building occupants could be left hanging in the balance. This should be avoided by mainstreaming IEQ considerations into the Directive. Eurovent provides suggestions on how this could be done, which should be further elaborated in a dedicated stakeholder workshop on IEQ with relevant experts.
Eurovent also takes the position that the flexibility allowed for transposition should be revisited to facilitate convergence towards harmonised models and common definitions. This should lead to better alignment between the EPBD and the Ecodesign framework, so that Ecodesign-compliant products find their way into existing buildings as well as new ones. The EPBD should also be bolstered with more financing and better enforcement at the national and local level.
Next steps
The review will be complemented by a series of 5 stakeholder workshops which have already been announced. The public consultation survey should be launched soon and will remain open for 12 weeks. The Commission proposal is expected to be finalised still in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Related documents and links
All related documents and files can be found in the respective sections in the right sidebar.
- PDF version of the Position Paper
