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EPBD: what Directive 2024/1275 requires of commercial buildings

Check what the EPBD requires of your commercial buildings: 2030 and 2033 thresholds, zero emission, BACS and French transposition.

Adrien Lafond
28 min read
Illustration: a road with two flags leads to an office building with solar panels and a heat pump

The transposition deadline of the revised EPBD, the European Union text on the energy performance of buildings, expired on 29 May 2026[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. By 2030, the 16% worst-performing commercial building stock will have to be renovated, then 26% by 2033[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. In France, several parts are still waiting for their implementing text. We track the obligations of the EPBD deadline by deadline, along with what a smart BMS must be able to do at each stage.

EPBD directive: definition, versions from 2002 to 2024 and obligations of the recast

EPBD, DPEB, Directive (EU) 2024/1275: which text are we talking about?

The EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) is the European directive on the energy performance of buildings (DPEB in French). Its current version, known as the revised EPBD, is Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of 24 April 2024, a recast of the 2010 text[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

Unlike a regulation, an EPBD directive has to be transposed. The objectives of the EPBD, its calculation framework and its reference methods then go through the law of each member state. A national text is still needed: everywhere in Europe, the impact on each building depends on the national timetable.

Why is the European Union targeting buildings first?

To improve the Union's energy efficiency, buildings remain the largest untapped potential. They account for 40% of the energy consumed and 36% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions[2][2]Studies and reportsEuropean Commission, “Energy performance of buildings: share of energy consumed and of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the EU”See in sources ↓. Yet the buildings of 2050 are largely already built, many of them before today's strict energy standards.

The battle is therefore fought on the existing stock: a sustainable real estate issue before it is a construction issue.

A zero-emission building stock by 2050: the goal that drives the whole text

The recast sets a course: a zero-emission building stock by 2050[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The other objectives of the EPBD, the 2030, 2033 and 2040 milestones, hang off it as so many intermediate steps.

Each state translates them into its national building renovation plans[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The sustainability target becomes a quantified emissions reduction trajectory.

2002: Directive 2002/91/EC sets minimum requirements and the energy performance certificate

The first text in the cycle, Directive 2002/91/EC of 16 December 2002, sets minimum requirements for new buildings and major renovations[3][3]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive 2002/91/EC of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of buildings”See in sources ↓. It also creates energy performance certificates, forerunners of the DPE, the French Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Eight years later, a recast tightens this foundation.

2010: the 2010/31/EU recast introduces nearly zero-energy buildings

Directive 2010/31/EU of 19 May 2010 introduces nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB)[4][4]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive 2010/31/EU of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings”See in sources ↓. New public buildings had to meet the standard by the end of 2018, all new buildings by the end of 2020[4][4]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive 2010/31/EU of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings”See in sources ↓. Minimum requirements are set at the cost-optimal level: the cheapest performance over the estimated economic life cycle.

2018: amendment (EU) 2018/844 brings automation into the directive

Amendment (EU) 2018/844 of 30 May 2018 introduces building automation and control systems (BACS)[5][5]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive (EU) 2018/844 of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010/31/EU”See in sources ↓. Non-residential buildings above 290 kW had to be equipped with one by 2025 at the latest[5][5]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive (EU) 2018/844 of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010/31/EU”See in sources ↓.

The text relies on the EPB standards of the ISO 52000 series. Finally, it creates the smart readiness indicator (SRI), which assesses a smart building's ability to adapt its operation to occupants and to the grid. Its implementation remains optional[5][5]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Directive (EU) 2018/844 of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010/31/EU”See in sources ↓.

2019: the European Green Deal sets climate neutrality for 2050

Presented on 11 December 2019, the European Green Deal sets the goal of climate neutrality by 2050[6][6]Press and announcementsEuropean Commission, “The European Green Deal” and “Renovation Wave” strategySee in sources ↓. Buildings become a central lever of this green deal. The Renovation Wave initiative of October 2020 then makes building renovation a priority[6][6]Press and announcementsEuropean Commission, “The European Green Deal” and “Renovation Wave” strategySee in sources ↓.

2021: the Fit for 55 package reopens the directive on the energy performance of buildings

The Fit for 55 package turns into legislation the target of -55% net emissions by 2030 compared with 1990, written into the European Climate Law[7][7]RegulationEUR-Lex, “Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, European Climate Law”See in sources ↓. Within this framework, the European Commission launches, on 15 December 2021, a recast of the energy performance of buildings rules[8][8]RegulationEuropean Commission, “Proposal for a recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive”See in sources ↓.

2024: the European Parliament and the Council adopt Directive (EU) 2024/1275

The European Parliament and the Council sign the new EPBD on 24 April 2024[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. Published in the Official Journal on 8 May, it enters into force on 28 May 2024[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The text repeals the 2010 one. It gives states until 29 May 2026 to transpose it[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

From Brussels to the French Construction Code: how the EPBD becomes the BACS decree

A directive binds member states, not owners directly. Its transposition goes through the law, then the decree, then the ministerial order (arrêté) that sets the implementing details.

In France, the automation part of amendment 2018/844 thus produced Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020[9][9]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 on building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings”See in sources ↓. This BACS decree, the French transposition of the European text, writes the requirement into the Construction Code (Code de la construction et de l'habitation). Implementation of the revised EPBD will follow the same chain.

Zero-emission buildings: 2028 for new public buildings, 2030 for all new construction

The nZEB required low energy consumption. Zero-emission buildings (ZEB) go further: they emit no on-site carbon from fossil fuels[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The market readily calls them zero-carbon buildings, a misleading shortcut. The carbon emitted by construction does not disappear: it is calculated separately, over the life cycle.

The recast requires the ZEB level for new public buildings from 1 January 2028, then for all new construction from 1 January 2030[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. One point remains open: the trigger France will choose, building permit application or completion.

Minimum performance thresholds for commercial buildings: 16% of the stock by 2030, 26% by 2033

For existing non-residential buildings, the recast introduces minimum energy performance standards (MEPS)[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The 16% worst-performing buildings in the non-residential sector must be renovated by 2030, then the 26% worst-performing by 2033[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

The performance indicator chosen by France will decide whether your building falls into those 16%. Residential buildings follow an average trajectory: -16% primary energy by 2030, then -20 to -22% by 2035, with no building-by-building requirement[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

Life cycle and fossil-fuel boilers: the text's two decarbonization levers

The first lever is the environmental impact of construction. From 2028, every new building over 1,000 m² will require a calculation of its life-cycle global warming potential, extended to all new buildings in 2030[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The RE2020 (France's 2020 environmental regulation for new buildings) already applies a comparable carbon-impact logic.

The second lever: stand-alone fossil-fuel boilers no longer receive financial incentives since 1 January 2025, with a phase-out targeted for 2040[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. Heat pumps and district heating networks take over. These two measures form the decarbonization part of the EPBD, in construction as in operation.

Rooftop solar and charging points: the new equipment obligations

The recast extends renewable energy on roofs: solar energy, photovoltaic or thermal, becomes a requirement phased in according to the floor area and type of building[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The exact timetable will depend on transposition. On sustainable mobility, a requirement for pre-cabling and smart charging points targets car parks[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

EPBD and BACS: what the directive requires of an automation system

Which buildings and which systems does the directive's BACS article cover?

The EPBD BACS part of the recast targets non-residential buildings. The trigger is a heating or air-conditioning system, combined or not with ventilation, whose effective rated output exceeds a threshold: ventilation alone does not count. Above 290 kW, automation had to be in place by the end of 2024. The requirement then extends above 70 kW by the end of 2029[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

On the energy systems side, the definition of technical building systems covers heating and cooling, hot water, ventilation and lighting[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. Smart lighting does not, however, make AI necessary. When a presence detector is enough to switch the light on, a simple sequence does the job.

BMS class, compliance and performance: three notions the market confuses

Three notions circulate in quotes as if they were interchangeable. Compliance meets regulatory requirements. Yet the BACS decree sets functional requirements without imposing any class of the NF EN ISO 52120-1 standard[9][9]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 on building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings”See in sources ↓. Eligibility for CEE energy-savings certificates follows a different logic: standardized operation sheet BAT-TH-116 requires class A or B[13][13]RegulationFrench Ministry for the Ecological Transition, “CEE standardized operation sheet BAT-TH-116”See in sources ↓.

BMS classes themselves follow a harsh rule: a building's class is that of its weakest function[14][14]RegulationAFNOR, “NF EN ISO 52120-1”See in sources ↓. It describes a level of equipment, not a result. A building with an HQE label ticks every box at handover, then overconsumes three years later because operation did not keep up. A class is not performance.

Monitor, analyze, alert: the required functions versus the BMS actually delivered

BACS article of the recast: what is required, what is delivered Directive (EU) 2024/1275 · Foobot findings on BMS accepted without testing
What the directive requiresWhat we find on a delivered BMS
Monitor
Continuously monitor, log and analyze energy consumption.
Data gaps, points never trend-logged.
Compare
Compare energy efficiency against a benchmark.
Unqualified meters: duplicates, disconnections.
Alert
Detect efficiency losses and alert the person in charge.
Alarm floods, acknowledged without analysis.
Communicate
Communicate with connected technical building systems.
Manual overrides set by hand, never logged.
Left column: functions of the BACS article of Directive (EU) 2024/1275 [1]. Right column: qualitative findings, not measured values.

The recast describes, function by function, what an automation system must be able to do[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The question is whether the installation accepted at handover can actually do it. The table below sets each requirement against what we find on installations delivered without testing.

This table does not measure compliance. It shows where the precondition for useful control lies: data quality. A BMS that is compliant on paper can be unable to detect drift for lack of reliable meters or temperature sensors to compare against. The energy efficiency first principle[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓ first requires accurate measurement: optimizing a building's performance only makes sense on the basis of verified data.

EPBD transposition in France: what already applies and what is still pending

Timeline 2024-2050: European deadlines and French texts, status by status

Directive (EU) 2024/1275 and French law

EPBD deadlines 2024-2050: what applies, what is pending, what has changed

In force To be transposed Already amended
European directive line
French texts line
Hover over or tap a milestone to read its details. Directive (EU) 2024/1275 [1], Decrees No. 2019-771 [11], 2020-887 [9], 2021-1004 [12] and 2025-1343 [10]. Statuses as at the date of writing.

Between what the recast provides for and what France has already written, the dates cross and sometimes contradict each other. The following timeline aligns the two calendars on two parallel lines. Each milestone carries a status: in force, to be transposed or already amended. Hover over or tap a milestone to read its details.

On the timeline, on the European side, the revised version has applied since 28 May 2024 and its transposition was due by 29 May 2026[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. On the French side, Decree No. 2020-887 already covers the automation part[9][9]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 on building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings”See in sources ↓, postponed once by Decree No. 2025-1343[10][10]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”See in sources ↓. Zero-emission buildings, expected on 1 January 2028 and then 2030, still depend on a transposition yet to be confirmed.

BACS decree: thresholds in force, postponement to 2030 and obsolete 2027 deadlines

In France, Decree No. 2020-887 transposes the automation part[9][9]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 on building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings”See in sources ↓. Above 290 kW, compliance has been required since 1 January 2025. For the 70 to 290 kW band, Decree No. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025 pushed the deadline back to 1 January 2030[10][10]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”See in sources ↓.

New buildings do not benefit from this postponement[10][10]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”See in sources ↓. The French date thus moves closer to the European horizon of the end of 2029[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. Before any decision on works, review the BACS deadlines against your legal obligations, site by site.

Did you know? The 1 January 2027 deadline for 70 to 290 kW buildings no longer exists since Decree No. 2025-1343[10][10]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”See in sources ↓. Yet we still come across it, announced as imminent, in recently published content.

Décret tertiaire and RE2020: two French texts that anticipated the recast

The décret tertiaire No. 2019-771 (France's tertiary decree on energy savings in commercial buildings) sets a consumption reduction of 40% by 2030, 50% by 2040 and 60% by 2050, compared with a reference year[11][11]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2019-771 of 23 July 2019”See in sources ↓. Its trajectory logic prefigures the minimum performance thresholds of the recast.

The RE2020, phased in from 1 January 2022, already includes a life-cycle carbon indicator[12][12]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2021-1004 of 29 July 2021” (RE2020)See in sources ↓. These construction standards are ahead of the European global warming potential calculation. Our analysis of the décret tertiaire details this energy transition trajectory.

Energy performance certificates: what the recast asks of the DPE for commercial buildings

Energy performance certificates switch to a harmonized A to G scale, with class A corresponding to the zero-emission building (ZEB)[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. For the DPE for commercial buildings, the stake is comparability between EU countries. The recast also establishes a renovation passport, a roadmap that breaks a building's trajectory down into stages[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

National thresholds, zero emission, solar: the parts awaiting a French text

Three parts still require a transposition text: the indicator that will designate the 16% worst performers, zero emission for new buildings, and solar. At the date of writing, we have no confirmation of a French text adopted on these points.

Their pending transposition does not suspend the European timetable. Implementation of the EPBD must therefore be followed text by text, alongside the national renovation plans.

What lies ahead for commercial building owners, asset by asset

New construction or existing building: two sets of obligations

In new construction, everything is decided at the building permit. The project must target the ZEB level and its carbon impact must be calculated over the life cycle[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

Existing buildings follow a different logic. They only come into scope on two occasions. A major renovation triggers the minimum requirements. Being ranked among the 16% worst performers, for its part, requires a renovation within the timetable set by the state[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. An asset with no works planned at all can therefore find itself targeted.

Public or private: why public buildings go two years earlier

The stated goal is for the public stock to set the example: the state and local authorities apply the rule before imposing it on others. A new building owned by a public body must be zero-emission by 1 January 2028. For a private building, the deadline falls on 1 January 2030[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. Two years therefore separate the two regimes. For a project delivered to a local authority owner, the public timetable is the one that counts.

Costs, green value and inspections: the economic impacts for an owner

From a portfolio perspective, the impact of the EPBD goes beyond the cost of works. The criteria the state will set point to accelerated obsolescence of the worst-performing assets. A building expected to fall into the 16% risks losing liquidity well before the deadline, because the buyer will deduct the works from the price.

Differences remain large from one asset to another. On a small commercial site, the payback period of an energy renovation will be much longer than on a large asset. Inspection will rely on the certificate and on the historical data of smart metering.

Which EPBD obligations apply to your asset?

Self-assessment · Directive (EU) 2024/1275

Five questions to position your asset against the EPBD

Choose one answer per card. The result appears as soon as you give the fifth answer. 0/5 answers
1New or existing?
2Public or private?
3Installed HVAC output
4Building floor area
5Is a major renovation planned?
Thresholds taken from Directive (EU) 2024/1275, to be confirmed building by building.

Not all these rules weigh on every building. Five answers are enough to estimate the impact of the EPBD on your asset: new or existing, public or private, HVAC output, floor area and planned major renovation. The result lists your probable obligations, in the conditional, each with its European deadline and the French text that carries it. Failing that, the note “transposition pending” is displayed.

This diagnosis gives a first reading, not a legal opinion. Cross-check each result with your consumption history and your works schedule. An intelligently controlled asset, able to measure, alert and prove its trajectory, will approach the French thresholds without being caught out by them, whatever text ends up setting them.

BACS compliance audit of your portfolio

FAQ - EPBD

Why was the EPBD introduced?

Because buildings account for 40% of the energy consumed and 36% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the Union[2][2]Studies and reportsEuropean Commission, “Energy performance of buildings: share of energy consumed and of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the EU”See in sources ↓. The building stock renews slowly: acting on existing buildings becomes unavoidable.

What are the main objectives of the EPBD?

The objectives of the EPBD converge on one horizon: a zero-emission building stock by 2050[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The text phases in emissions reductions, with minimum levels for existing non-residential buildings in 2030 and then in 2033.

What are the main pillars of the EPBD?

Four pillars structure the text: zero-emission buildings for new construction, minimum performance standards for existing buildings, energy performance certificates harmonized from A to G, and BACS automation above 70 kW[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

What is the EPBD?

It is the European directive that sets common rules on the energy performance of buildings in the Union. Its current version, Directive (EU) 2024/1275, replaces the 2010 text and must be written into each national law[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

How is the EPBD being implemented?

Member states had until 29 May 2026 to transpose the recast[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. In France, implementation of the EPBD is moving forward text by text: the BACS part already exists[9][9]RegulationLégifrance, “Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 on building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings”See in sources ↓, while the thresholds for non-residential buildings are, to our knowledge, still awaiting their text.

What obligations does the EPBD impose?

The obligations of the EPBD differ by asset. New construction will have to be zero-emission in 2028 in the public sector and in 2030 in the private sector. Existing non-residential buildings are subject to minimum thresholds, with BACS required above 70 kW[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

What are the impacts of the EPBD on construction?

The impact of the EPBD starts at the building permit: the project must target zero on-site emissions by 1 January 2030 at the latest. Life-cycle global warming potential becomes a mandatory calculation, first above 1,000 m²[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

How does the EPBD contribute to decarbonization?

The decarbonization targeted by the EPBD relies on two levers. The text has cut financial incentives for stand-alone fossil-fuel boilers since 2025 and targets their phase-out in 2040. It also requires the carbon impact of new buildings to be measured over their entire life cycle[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓.

What solutions does the EPBD offer to improve energy efficiency?

The EPBD's solutions take the form of requirements, never of an imposed product. To improve energy efficiency, the text combines renovation of the worst performers, automation of energy systems, harmonized certificates and the renovation passport[1][1]RegulationOfficial Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”See in sources ↓. The owner chooses the means to optimize performance.

SourcesSources and references

The numbered references in the text correspond to the following documents.
Regulation12
  1. [1]Official Journal of the European Union, “Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024 on the energy performance of buildings (recast)”08/05/2024↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36
  2. [3]EUR-Lex, “Directive 2002/91/EC of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of buildings”16/12/2002↑
  3. [4]EUR-Lex, “Directive 2010/31/EU of 19 May 2010 on the energy performance of buildings”19/05/2010↑ 1 2
  4. [5]EUR-Lex, “Directive (EU) 2018/844 of 30 May 2018 amending Directive 2010/31/EU”30/05/2018↑ 1 2 3
Show the other 8: [7] to [14]
  1. [7]EUR-Lex, “Regulation (EU) 2021/1119, European Climate Law”06/2021↑
  2. [8]European Commission, “Proposal for a recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive”15/12/2021↑
  3. [9]Légifrance, “Decree No. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020 on building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings”20/07/2020↑ 1 2 3 4 5
  4. [10]Légifrance, “Decree No. 2025-1343 of 26 December 2025”12/2025↑ 1 2 3 4
  5. [11]Légifrance, “Decree No. 2019-771 of 23 July 2019”07/2019↑
  6. [12]Légifrance, “Decree No. 2021-1004 of 29 July 2021” (RE2020)07/2021↑
  7. [13]French Ministry for the Ecological Transition, “CEE standardized operation sheet BAT-TH-116”↑
  8. [14]AFNOR, “NF EN ISO 52120-1”↑
Studies and reports1
  1. [2]European Commission, “Energy performance of buildings: share of energy consumed and of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions in the EU”↑ 1 2
Press and announcements1
  1. [6]European Commission, “The European Green Deal” and “Renovation Wave” strategy12/2019↑ 1 2
Field feedback1
  1. [15]Foobot, field feedback, “Valeo case study: HVAC consumption measured under the IPMVP protocol with heating degree day (HDD) correction”
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