This Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2024/1275 of 24 April 2024 constitutes a recast of Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD). The aim of this Directive is to achieve a highly energy-efficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050The Directive responds to the Union's commitments under the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, under which the EU committed to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

Key elements of the directive include:

• National building renovation plans: Each Member State is obliged to draw up national building renovation plan with the aim of transforming existing buildings into zero-emission buildings. These plans must include an overview of the national building stock, market barriers, building sector capacities and the share of vulnerable households. Member States shall submit drafts of these plans to the Commission every five years and shall conduct public consultations on their drafts. The Commission shall assess these plans and may issue recommendations. The first draft of the building renovation plan shall be submitted by December 31, 2025 and the first national building renovation plan to December 31, 2026.
• Minimum energy efficiency requirements: Member States shall set minimum energy performance requirements for new buildings and significantly renovated buildings and their elements with the aim of achieving at least cost-optimal levelsThese requirements are regularly reviewed and updated. There are exceptions for certain categories of buildings, such as protected buildings or buildings of the armed forces.
• Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS): The directive introduces minimum energy efficiency standards for existing buildings. For non-residential buildings Member States must ensure that all buildings are 16 % threshold value (worst 16 % national fund) by 2030 and below 26 % threshold value until 2033. For apartment buildings Member States must take measures to renovate a significant number of buildings with the worst energy performance, with the aim of achieving the specified percentages by 2030 and 2033.
• Buildings with zero emissions: From a certain date, all must be new buildings with zero emissionsMember States shall set maximum operational greenhouse gas emission thresholds for these buildings.
• Building renovation passport: Member States shall introduce building renovation passport system to May 29, 2026These passports will be provided to the owners a clear roadmap for gradual in-depth renovations their buildings towards a zero-emission building by 2050. The use of passports is voluntary unless a Member State decides otherwise.
• Energy certificates: The directive strengthens the role energy certificates. It is being introduced common scale of energy efficiency classes (A to G), where A corresponds to zero-emission buildings and G to the worst buildings. Energy certificates must include recommendations for improving energy efficiency. The validity of the energy certificate may not exceed 10 years. Energy certificates are issued for the construction, major renovation, sale or rental of buildings. They must be published in buildings owned by public entities and frequently visited by the public and in certain non-residential buildings.
• Building energy performance databases: Each Member State shall establish national database of energy performance of buildings to collect data on energy performance and overall energy efficiency of the national building stock. Aggregated and anonymised data must be accessible to the public.
• Technical building systems: The directive sets out requirements for technical building systems, such as heating systems, air conditioning systems and ventilation, in order to optimize their energy efficiency. Installation required self-regulating devices and in non-residential buildings with zero emissions, also monitoring and control equipment indoor air qualityRequirements are set for charging infrastructure for electric vehicles a bicycle parking spaces in new and existing buildings.
• Financing and technical assistance: Member States must ensure financial and administrative support for the renovation of buildings. They are supported green mortgages and green loans. They are being established points of single contact to provide technical, administrative and financial assistance.
• Indoor environment quality: The directive emphasizes the importance optimal indoor environment quality and sets out requirements for its provision.
• Training and certification: Member States shall ensure appropriate level of competence of plumbers and construction professionals through training and certification.
• Independent control systems: They are being introduced independent control systems energy certificates, building renovation passports, smart readiness indicators and inspection reports.
• Monitoring and review: The Commission will monitor the progress of Member States and shall review this Directive by 31 December 2028.

The directive aims to take into account greenhouse gas emissions throughout the entire life cycle of buildings, starting with new buildings. It is supported gradual deep restoration as a cost-effective solution. The emphasis is on removing non-economic barriers a social impact monitoring, especially for vulnerable households. Spring

Glossary of Key Terms

• Energy efficiency: The rate of energy efficiency, the effort to reduce energy consumption while maintaining the same level of services provided or production.
• Greenhouse gas emissions: Gaseous substances in the atmosphere that absorb and emit infrared radiation, thereby contributing to the greenhouse effect and climate change (e.g. carbon dioxide, methane).
• Climate neutrality: A state in which human activity has no net impact on the climate, achieved by a balance between greenhouse gas emissions and removals from the atmosphere.
• Fit for 55: A package of legislative proposals from the European Commission aimed at updating EU legislation in the areas of climate, energy and transport to ensure that the target of reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 is met.
• REPowerEU: The European Commission's plan aims to reduce the EU's dependence on fossil fuels from Russia and accelerate the transition to green energy.
• The principle of energy efficiency first: The principle according to which, in energy planning and decision-making, measures to reduce energy consumption are prioritized over measures to increase its supply.
• Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB): A building with very high energy efficiency, the energy demand of which is almost zero or very low and is covered to a significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy produced on site or nearby.
• Zero-emission building: A building with very high energy efficiency, whose operational greenhouse gas emissions are zero or nearly zero, and whose energy needs are covered by energy from renewable sources.
• Energy recovery: Measures aimed at improving the energy efficiency of an existing building.
• Deep recovery: Renovation of a building that leads to a significant improvement in its energy performance and transforms it into a building with nearly zero energy requirements (by 2030) or with zero emissions (from 2030).
• Building renovation passport: A document with a roadmap for the gradual in-depth renovation of a specific building.
• Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS): Set minimum energy performance levels that buildings or their elements must meet.
• National Building Renovation Plan: A Member State's strategic plan setting out national targets and measures to improve the energy performance of the existing building stock.
• Building energy certificate (EPC): A document that provides information about the energy performance of a building and its energy class classification.
• GWP over the life cycle: The total global warming potential associated with all phases of a building's life cycle, from the production of materials to its disposal.
• Intelligent Building Readiness: The ability of a building to adapt its operation to the needs of the user and the system, and to optimize its energy efficiency and economy.
• Heating system: A combination of elements necessary to ensure heating of the interior space.
• Air conditioning system: A combination of elements necessary to ensure cooling of the interior space.
• Fossil fuels: Non-renewable energy sources, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which release greenhouse gases when burned.
• Renewable energy sources: Energy from renewable non-fossil sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower and biomass.
• Energy poverty: A situation in which a household cannot secure an adequate level of energy services for its basic needs at an affordable price.
• Financial incentives: Financial instruments and measures (e.g. subsidies, loans, tax breaks) to support investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.