Nearly Zero Energy Buildings

Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Where we are today in Europe Rod Janssen Consultant to European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy November 13, 2014

Policy Foundation for nzeb In 2010 the recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive was approved and Member States started to transpose to national law and implement it. The obligation to implement nearly zero energy buildings was new. Article 9 of the Directive states that Member States shall ensure that (a) by 31 December 2020, all new buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings; and (b) after 31 December 2018, new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings. Member States shall draw up national plans for increasing the number of nearly zero-energy buildings. Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 2

Definition(s) Article 2 of 2010 EPBD recast described nearly zero energy buildings as buildings that have a very high energy performance with the nearly zero or very low energy use, required to a very significant extent to be covered by energy from renewable sources including from renewable energy produced onsite and nearby. Member States were given flexibility to define nzeb for their own national context Buildings Performance Institute Europe developed principles for helping Member States define nzeb Commission also gave guidance Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 3

Requirements Member States shall draw up national plans for increasing the number of nearly zeroenergy buildings. These national plans may include targets differentiated according to the category of building. The national plans should include a practical application of what nzeb is supposed to consist in: a numerical indicator in primary energy expressed in kwh/m2/year; intermediate targets for 2015; and policy, financial and any other type of measures that will support the implementation of nzeb and including national measures and requirements concerning the use of RES in new and existing buildings undergoing major renovation. Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 4

Policy Progress - Timeline Member States have milestones before full implementation Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 5

Implementation Progress more than half of the Member States (AT, BE (Brussels and Flanders), CZ, HR, DK, EE, FR, IE, LU, LV, LT, NL and SK) already implemented a definition in some form some are under approval (BG, HU, IT, PL, SI) Several Member States (BE (Brussels and Flanders), DK, FR, IE, LV, LT, NL and SK) provided a definition that comprises both a numerical target for primary energy use (or end energy/ useful energy demand) and considering the share of renewables in a quantitative or qualitative way. Other Member States have a definition under development Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 6

Progress in development of definition Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 7

More on Progress Compared to the 2013 Commission progress report there is a clear positive development. Whereas previously only 5 MS had nzeb definitions in place, now the majority of the Member States have a nzeb application in practice of the definition developed, some of them at approval stage. A few MS mentioned objectives that go beyond nzeb requirements, including zero energy buildings in the Netherlands, positive energy buildings in Denmark and France, climate neutral new buildings in Germany and the zero carbon standard in the UK. Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 8

Numerical indicators Where a numerical indicator is set, the requirements range rather widely from 0 kwh/m2/y to 270 kwh/m2/y and are mainly given as primary energy use in kwh/m2/y. The higher values are mainly from hospitals or other special nonresidential buildings. For residential buildings the maximal primary energy consumptions ranges between 33 kwh/m²/y in Croatia (Littoral) and 95 kwh/m²/y in Latvia with a majority of the countries (BE (Brussels), EE, FR, IE) aiming at 45 or 50 kwh/m²/y. Other MS (BE, LT, NL) use non-dimensional value (e.g. BE (Walloon) were an E-level of 60 is set at the moment) or an energy performance class (e.g. LT where nzeb have to comply with building class A++) as indicator. In some cases, MS (e.g. CZ) did not define nzebs for all building categories of the regulations, but in that specific example only for single family houses while definitions for other buildings are under development. Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 9

Share of renewable energy As regards the share of renewable energy the reporting is quite diverse, with only a few countries defining a specific minimum percentage and the majority making qualitative statements (BE (Brussels, Flanders), BG, CZ, DE, DK, FR, IE, IT, LV, LT, NL, RO, SE, SK and UK). Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 10

Finally... The latest reports from the Commission show that there is reasonable progress after a slow start. New buildings are fundamentally important but have to be seen in context of overall energy efficiency targets for 2020 and 2030. nzeb focus was never going to deliver significantly for 2020. It has always been a long-term policy priority In July Communication from EC, buildings were given a high priority because of the potential savings Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 11

Finally... Major effort has to be given to existing buildings where most of the potential remains MS are required to provide long-term renovation strategies under the Energy Efficiency Directive BPIE recently reviewed progress on those strategies. While some MS have done some excellent work, 6 MS never even submitted strategies. Of 10 MS studied, BPIE found that 3 strategies were non-compliant (Austria, Denmark and The Netherlands), 3 were only partially compliant (France, Germany and Brussels Capital Region) and 4 were acceptable but still showed potential for improvement (Czech Republic, Romania, Spain and the UK). Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 12

If you want to follow progress eceee published: Understanding (the very European concept of) Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings - Steering through the maze #2 (revised) Go to eceee s webpage on nzeb: http://www.eceee.org/policy-areas/buildings/nearly-zeroenergy-buildings Commission studies and information available at: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/buildings/buildings _en.htm BPIE renovation report - http://bpie.eu/benchmark_renovation_strategies.html#.v GHog4d16G0 Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 13

Thank you Rod Janssen rod.janssen@gmail.com Nearly Zero Energy Buildings 13/11/2014 14