The European Green Homes Directive

The European Green Homes Directive

New European standards for energy-saving measures and building renovation

In March 2023, the European Parliament gave the first green light to the European directive on ‘GREEN HOMES’, a measure proposed by the European Commission to improve the energy performance of buildings with the aim of significantly reducing energy consumption in Europe.

The text of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Epbd), which aims to modernise Europe's building stock and improve its energy efficiency, will undergo a number of modifications before becoming definitive.
The main aim of the measure is to give priority to the 15% of buildings that consume the most energy, i.e. those in energy class G, and it will have a considerable impact on european stock.

THE ‘GREEN HOMES’ DIRECTIVE

With this measure, the European Union aims to reduce harmful emissions by 55% before 2030, compared with 1990 levels, and to achieve zero emissions before 2050. The directive stipulates that all new buildings must be zero-emission by 2028, while existing buildings must achieve energy class E by 1 January 2030 and D by 2033. For heating, the plan is to ban the use of fossil fuels by 2035 and to abolish subsidies for the installation of fossil fuel boilers by 2024.

PLANNED INTERVENTIONS AND EXEMPTIONS

The following measures are planned to reduce consumption:

• installation of photovoltaic systems;
• installation of new boilers;
• replacement of window frames;
• installation of thermal cladding.

The directive excludes historic buildings, holiday homes and places of worship. More specifically:

• historic buildings and monuments (historic buildings or buildings of particular architectural value);
• buildings located in classified and protected areas;
• residential buildings that are used for less than four months of the year or for a limited period of the year, or whose expected energy consumption is less than 25% of the consumption that would result from year-round use (i.e. second homes or holiday homes);
• buildings of worship (i.e. churchs)
• structures considered temporary (site offices and bathing establishments).

There are also penalties for failing to comply with the regulations, such as a ban on selling or letting houses.

One of the main consequences of this directive is the likely loss of value of buildings that are not adapted in time.

THE DIRECTIVE IN THE VARIOUS STATES

At a practical level, it will be up to the EU Member States to define any derogations from the standard, as well as the measures and incentives needed to achieve the objectives within the set deadlines. In addition, Member States will be able to adjust the targets according to the actual availability of skilled labour and the technical and economic feasibility of the renovation work.

Each country will then have to draw up a national renovation plan, which will have to be realistic and also include measures to facilitate access to tailored financing, a system of rewards and benefits for those who undertake major renovations, subsidies for vulnerable households and the setting up of free information points on the energy efficiency of buildings.

THE SITUATION IN JULY 2024

On 12 March 2024, the European Parliament gave final approval to the Green Homes Directive, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption by 2030, with a view to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It is now more than 12 months since the final approval process for the measure began.

During this time, changes have already been made to the text in an attempt to assess the individual needs of the different Member States. Compared to the original text, the final directive is much more flexible and less strict when it comes to deadlines for bringing buildings into compliance.

Under the approved directive, Member States are responsible for setting minimum requirements for the energy performance of buildings: all new buildings must have near-zero energy consumption (and, from 2028, zero emissions). In addition, minimum requirements must be set for all buildings undergoing major renovation.

The original text aimed to achieve energy class E for residential buildings by 2030, with further improvement to energy class D by 2033.

Another new feature is the inclusion of a renovation passport for EU Member States: it will have to be drawn up in digital format by a qualified and certified expert, and it will be up to each Member State to decide whether or not it will be compulsory. This passport will provide a comprehensive roadmap for renovation, indicating the stages and expected benefits in terms of energy savings, cost reductions and greenhouse gas emissions over the entire life cycle of the building.

In addition, a digital system for preparing and updating renovation passports will be provided: Member States will be able to develop additional tools to simplify the simulation and updating of passports.

ARDOGRES

For many years, our company has been specialised in roof renovation, in particular the replacement of asbestos, slate and stone roofs.

The European ‘GREEN HOMES’ directive and subsequent provisions by Member States will promote the redevelopment of existing roofs, encouraging the installation of insulation and photovoltaic systems.

Ardogres is an essential product for this type of intervention, especially with its latest innovation, the BIANCO OSTUNI 40X40 roof and wall tile, which boasts an excellent reflectance index and perfect adaptability to photovoltaic systems, especially ‘tub’ systems.

https://ardogres.it/en/porcelain-stoneware-roof-tiles-and-ardogres-accessories/23-40x40-ostuni-white

Ardogres will soon be presenting the new version of the ARDOSOLAR integrated photovoltaic roof tile. This will solve the problems associated with installing photovoltaic systems in historical contexts and/or with landscape constraints.