Guide to the consultation: 'Draft common EU framework of core indicators for the environmental performance of EU buildings'

Transcription

1 Guide t the cnsultatin: 'Draft cmmn EU framewrk f cre indicatrs fr the envirnmental perfrmance f EU buildings' Nichlas Ddd, Shane Dnatell, Miguel Gama-Caldas (JRC-IPTS) July

2 Eurpean Cmmissin Jint Research Centre Cntact infrmatin Nichlas Ddd and Miguel Gama-Caldas Address: Edifici Exp. c/ Inca Garcilas, 3. E Seville (Spain) Tel.: Fax: Legal Ntice This publicatin is a Science and Plicy Reprt by the Jint Research Centre, the Eurpean Cmmissin s in-huse science service. It aims t prvide evidence-based scientific supprt t the Eurpean plicy-making prcess. The scientific utput expressed des nt imply a plicy psitin f the Eurpean Cmmissin. Neither the Eurpean Cmmissin nr any persn acting n behalf f the Cmmissin is respnsible fr the use which might be made f this publicatin. 2

3 The Eurpean Cmmissin is running a cnsultatin n its draft prpsals fr a cmmn EU framewrk f cre indicatrs fr the envirnmental perfrmance f buildings. The cnsultatin will run frm the 5 th July until the 7 th Octber During this perid stakehlders are invited t cnsult the 'summary findings and indicatr prpsals' cnsultatin dcument, which can be dwnladed here: Stakehlders are then invited t cmplete the n-line cnsultatin questinnaire using the EU Survey tl, which can be accessed here: The cnsultatin prvides stakehlders invlved in the building sectr with the pprtunity t cmment n and supprt the develpment f a cmmn EU framewrk f cre indicatrs. This shrt guide is intended t prvide participants in the cnsultatin with a brief backgrund t these prpsals, the nging study that infrms them and the rle that stakehlders play in their develpment. 1. Backgrund t the cnsultatin The Eurpean Cmmissin's 2014 Cmmunicatin n Resurce Efficiency Opprtunities in the Building Sectr identified the need fr a cmmn EU apprach t the assessment f the envirnmental perfrmance f buildings. The starting pint wuld be 'cmmn framewrk f cre indicatrs'. The framewrk wuld be rigrus enugh t drive imprvement in perfrmance and allw fr cmparisn between buildings. A study was initiated by the Eurpean Cmmissin in 2015 t develp an initial framewrk f cre indicatrs, with the idea that they wuld be flexible in their use, s that they culd ptentially be incrprated int new and existing assessment schemes, r be used n their wn by a diverse range f stakehlders, including public authrities, design teams and prperty investrs. It is imprtant t emphasise that the intentin is nt t create a new standalne building certificatin scheme, r t establish perfrmance benchmarks, but rather that it shuld prvide a vluntary reprting framewrk that has a brad ptential fr use by building sectr prfessinals acrss the EU. Recgnising the imprtance f engaging widely with building sectr prfessinals, a number f frmal stakehlder grups have been established t supprt prgress f the study: A prject steering grup (SG1) Expert sub-grups n macr-bjectives (SG2) and indicatrs (SG3) A main prject stakehlder grup (SG4) Further details f stakehlder engagement can be fund n the prject website here: As part f the nging study prgramme, wrk was initiated in 2016 t identify ptins fr the indicatrs themselves, with the intentin that the first prpsals fr indicatrs be cnsulted n with the frmal stakehlders grups described abve, as well as mre widely with stakehlders in the public and private sectr. 3

4 2. The scpe f buildings addressed by the framewrk Fllwing feedback received during the initial rund f stakehlder cnsultatin in 2015, it was decided t narrw the scpe f the study t fcus n residential and ffice buildings. These tw building types were chsen because they represent the majrity (86%) f the ttal flr area f the EU building stck. Of this ttal, residential prperty represents by far the majrity f the ttal flr area f the EU building stck (75%). Fr each f these types f buildings, the executin f newbuild and renvatin prjects will als be addressed. 3. The macr-bjectives f the cmmn framewrk The starting pint fr develpment f the framewrk has been the identificatin f a number f macr-bjectives. These establish the strategic fcus and scpe fr the framewrk f indicatrs. The wrking definitin f a macr-bjective as defined by the Cmmissin is: An envirnmental, resurce efficiency r functinal perfrmance aspect f significance t the life cycle envirnmental perfrmance f buildings at EU level. Six macr-bjectives have been identified as the initial basis fr the framewrk, and they will fcus n perfrmance at the building level. Macr-bjectives fr the envirnmental perfrmance f EU buildings 'Life cycle envirnmental perfrmance' macr-bjectives 1. Greenhuse gas emissins frm building life cycle energy use: Minimise the ttal GHG emissins alng a buildings life cycle, with a fcus n building peratinal energy use emissins and embdied emissins. 2. Resurce efficient material life cycles: Optimise building design, engineering and frm in rder t supprt lean and circular flws, extend lng-term material utility and reduce significant envirnmental impacts. 3. Efficient use f water resurces: Make efficient use f water resurces, particularly in areas f identified lng-term r prjected water stress. 'Quality, perfrmance and value' macr-bjectives 4. Healthy and cmfrtable spaces: Design, cnstructin and renvatin f buildings that prtect human health by minimising the ptential fr ccupier and wrker expsure t health risks. 5. Resilience t climate change: The futureprfing f building thermal perfrmance t prjected changes in the urban micrclimate, in rder t prtect ccupier health and cmfrt. 6. Optimised life cycle cst and value: Optimisatin f the life cycle cst and value f buildings, inclusive f acquisitin, peratin, maintenance, dispsal and end f life. These six macr-bjectives were the result f a prcess during 2015 which included a review f EU and Member State plicies, Life Cycle Assessment evidence f the mst significant impacts f buildings, as well as majr assessment and reprting tls currently being used in the market. Prpsals fr the macr-bjectives were als discussed with all the frmal stakehlder grups established t supprt prgress f the study. A stakehlder wrking grup meeting held in Brussels in June 2015 was fllwed by a written cnsultatin. 4

5 The findings f the wrk carried ut during 2015 t identify the macr-bjectives were published in December 2015 as Wrking Paper 1, which can be dwnladed frm the prject website here: 4. The basis fr identificatin f the draft indicatr prpsals The cnsultatin fcusses n an initial draft set f indicatrs that have been identified by the Eurpean Cmmissin. These are based n a brad initial scping f experience in perfrmance imprvement and measurement acrss Eurpe. The scping draws upn experience frm: Public sectr initiatives at natinal and reginal level, including building permitting and planning requirements; Building practitiners: Feedback frm field studies f building prjects where higher envirnmental perfrmance has been sught; Assessment and reprting schemes: The peratinal experience frm running and using majr multi-criteria certificatin schemes and investr reprting tls currently being used acrss Eurpe; Technical studies: The findings frm studies that synthesise experience and expertise frm the building sectr in ne r several member states in rder t prpse r refine perfrmance measurement tls, metrics and guidance; Standards and harmnisatin initiatives: The findings frm prjects t supprt greater harmnisatin and uptake f perfrmance measurement and reprting tls; Cllabrative EU prjects: The findings frm cllabrative EU prjects that have brught tgether partners t share knwledge and experience related t perfrmance imprvement. The findings frm this scping exercise have been brught tgether in tw supprting dcuments which can be dwnladed frm the cnsultatin area f the prject website: The summary findings and indicatr prpsals, the supprting technical backgrund reprt (Wrking Paper 2). Bth dcuments can be dwnladed frm the prject website here: 5. Indicatrs as a tl t measure perfrmance imprvement 5.1 Definitin f a perfrmance indicatr It is cnsidered imprtant that an indicatr shall be perfrmance based and quantifiable, s as t supprt as far as pssible perfrmance cmparisns, and that it shuld measure the headline perfrmance aspects f each macrbjective. This thinking is reflected in the wrking definitin f an indicatr being used by the Cmmissin: A specific and measurable aspect f a building s perfrmance that can be used t supprt perfrmance cmparisns, benchmarking and target setting. Perfrmance imprvements measured by an indicatr shall cntribute t achievement, verall r in part, f the macr-bjective that the indicatr is assciated with. 5

6 An indicatr culd be a metric fr directly measuring perfrmance f a variable, r where this is nt pssible, a prxy fr measuring imprved perfrmance based n scientific evidence. 5.2 What makes a suitable perfrmance indicatr? The 2014 Cmmunicatin n Resurce Efficiency Opprtunities in the Building Sectr described a number f anticipated benefits fr the building sectr f a cre framewrk f EU indicatrs, as well as ptential advantages t building sectr prfessinals. In rder t check that ptins fr indicatrs supprt the ambitin f the 2014 Cmmunicatin sme simple criteria have been established s that ptins fr indicatrs can be screened fr their suitability. Suggested criteria fr the suitability f perfrmance indicatrs Applicable t the building scpe: They shuld be applicable t bth new-build and renvated ffice buildings and residential buildings. Meaningful measurement f perfrmance: That it prvides a meaningful measurement f a specific perfrmance aspect f a building design r prject. Frm design t actual perfrmance: It shuld be pssible t mnitr perfrmance as it prgresses thrugh different prject stages frm design thrugh t cnstructin, cmpletin, ccupatin and then t end f life. Accessible and understandable: They shuld be based n simple, accessible and easy t understand cncepts that can be cmmunicated t building prfessinals. Only basic training shuld be required t make use f the indicatr set. Readily available and accepted: It shuld be pssible t calculate/reprt n them using readily available, scientifically rbust and accepted data, methds, tls and units f measurement/appraisal. Where pssible, they shuld therefre use familiar and widely adpted nrmative references. Cmparable: They shuld supprt, as a minimum, cmparisns f functinally equivalent building designs at a prject level by clients/design teams and between buildings in the immediate lcal prperty market r in lcal prperty prtflis. Easily verifiable: Verificatin shall be easy and cst effective in terms f dcumentatin, data cllectin, prject prcesses, test methds and the availability f accredited verificatin (if required). Public sectr plicy friendly: The indicatrs shuld ptentially be useable by natinal, reginal r lcal public authrities in the setting f planning and building cntrl requirements, as well as in the prcurement f public buildings. 6. The first prpsals fr the framewrk 6.1 Hrizntal themes f the cmmn indicatr framewrk As a cnsequence f identifying the first prpsals fr indicatrs, a number f 'hrizntal' themes have emerged that may need t be addressed as part f hw the indicatrs wrk as a whle. The hrizntal themes identified s far are as fllws: 1. Encuraging prfessinal develpment and life cycle thinking: Relatinships between indicatrs and differing ambitin levels culd be used t encurage prfessinal develpment. 6

7 2. Encuraging imprved measurement f intensity f resurce use: Smarter indicatrs culd be prvided that experience shws prvide an imprved means f measuring the intensity f resurce use. 3. Building upn existing standards and methdlgical develpments: Whilst the existing standards and methds represent an imprtant starting pint, it may be necessary t set sme minimum reprting 'rules' t imprve cmparability and encurage greater use. 4. Data availability, quality and transparency: In the case f bth Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Csting (LCC) data is fundamental t the cmparability and meaningfulness f the results. 5. The level at which indicatrs shuld be cmparable: Variatins in lcal cnditins acrss the EU that range frm climate t valuatin techniques can affect the cmparability f results. 6. The ptential t track perfrmance alng a prject's life cycle: The ability t track perfrmance frm design thrugh t ccupatin, with a fcus n bth technical perfrmance and ccupant satisfactin, is becming increasing imprtant. These six themes are discussed further in Chapter 2 f the 'summary findings and indicatr prpsals' backgrund dcument, with a fcus n their ptential bearing n implementatin f the indicatr framewrk as a whle. 6.2 The indicatrs prpsed fr cnsultatin As part f the backgrund study a wider range f ptential indicatrs were identified and the peratinal experience with their use examined using a range f evidence. Frm the 'lng list' f ptential indicatrs identified fr each f the six macr-bjectives (which can be cnsulted in the technical backgrund reprt Wrking Paper 2), furteen indicatrs have been selected. The furteen indicatrs put frward fr cnsultatin are illustrated in Figure 1 belw and, as reflected by their clur cding, cmprise: Nine cre indicatrs cnsidered t require a 'basic' level f expertise (light green); Fur cre indicatrs cnsidered t require an 'advanced' level f expertise (dark green); and, Supprting aspects f perfrmance that, based n best practice, are recmmended fr each indicatr as fcus areas fr attentin (range). The supprting dcument summary findings and indicatr prpsals prvides an utline specificatin and calculatin rules fr each prpsed indicatrs. Based n the feedback frm the cnsultatin, the preferred set f cre indicatrs will be identified and their assciated calculatin methdlgies will be develped in mre specific detail. 7

8 Overview f the first indicatr prpsals 'Life cycle envirnmental perfrmance' Macr-bjective 1: Greenhuse Gas emissins frm building life cycle energy use Macr-bjective 2: Resurce efficient material life cycles Macr-bjective 3: Efficient use f water resurces 'Quality, perfrmance and value' Macr-bjective 4: Healthy and cmfrtable spaces Macr-bjective 5: Resilience t climate change Macr-bjective 6: Optimised life cycle cst and value Key t the clur cding: 8