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Resource Centre >> EuroACE projects > Very Low Energy Buildings
Given the varying climatic and regulatory conditions across Europe, it is difficult to define exactly the concept of a very low energy or passive building for the entire EU. In essence, very low energy buildings are designed to reduce total energy consumption to a minimum, which is significantly lower than what is required by national Building Regulations.
Introducing a definition of very low energy buildings as a minimum requirement into national Building Regulations is an important step towards achieving a major reduction in the overall energy used for buildings. A survey, commissioned by EuroACE, shows that only seven European countries have introduced such a definition, and for new buildings only. In addition, very few countries intend to strengthen requirements for existing buildings. EuroACE is calling on the European Commission to use the recasting of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive as an opportunity to push Member States to establish a plan to deliver very low energy homes and buildings by requiring them to:
- introduce a national or regional definition of very low energy buildings into their Building Regulations using the EPBD methodology;
- develop a national target towards making this level of energy performance the default standard;
- develop a strategy for renovating the existing building stock;
- ensure the public sector take the lead to promote very low energy buildings.
The survey, entitled "European national strategies to move towards very low energy buildings", was commissioned by EuroACE and conducted by Kirsten Engelund Thomsen and Kim B. Wittchen of the Danish Building Research Institute. The purpose was to establish an overview of the current situation in European countries on the implementation of national strategies to move towards very low energy buildings.
A questionnaire was sent to:
| Input received |
No input |
| Austria - AT |
Greece - GR |
| Belgium (Flanders) - BE |
Latvia -LV |
| Bulgaria - BG |
Lithuania - LT |
| Cyprus - CY |
Malta - MT |
| Czech Republic - CZ |
Portugal - PT |
| Germany - DE |
Slovenia - SI |
| Denmark - DK |
Spain - EP |
| Estonia - EE |
Croatia - HR |
| Finland - FI |
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| France - FR |
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| Hungary - HU |
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| Ireland - IE |
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| Italy (Piedmont) - IT |
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| Luxemburg - LU |
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| The Netherlands - NL |
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| Poland - PL |
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| Romania (Bucharest) - RO |
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| Slovakia - SK |
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| Sweden - SE |
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| The United Kingdom (England & Wales) - UK |
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| Norway - NO |
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| Switzerland - CH |
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Results:
Out of the twenty-two respondents:
- eight countries have a strategy towards passive/energy neutral buildings up to 2020;
- seven countries have an existing official definition of Very Low Energy Building or Passive Building in their Building Regulations;
- a further seven countries have a non-governmental (NGO)definition;
- eight countries are planning to introduce an official definition;
- four countries have a NGO definition without any plans for an official definition.
1. Status of definitions (official or NGO) of Very Low Energy Building or a Passive Building that is significantly better than minimum requirements:
Existing definition (filled-in symbol) - planned definition (outlined symbol) - no definition (-) - no answer (empty cell)
2. National plans towards very low energy buildings:
3. Strategies towards Very Low Energy Buildings:
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2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2012 |
2013 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
2020 |
| Austria |
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Social Housing subsidies only for Passive House Buildings |
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| Denmark |
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-25% |
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-50% |
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-75% |
| France |
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"low consumption standard" (Effinergie) |
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Energy positive buildings |
| Germany |
-30% |
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-49% |
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Buildings to operate without fossil fuels |
| Hungary |
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0-emission buildings for "large investment buildings" |
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0-emission buildings |
| The Netherlands |
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-25% |
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-50% (Passive House level) |
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Energy neutral buildings |
| Norway |
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-30% |
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Passive House level |
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| United Kingdom |
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-25% |
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-44% (Passive House level) |
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0-CO2 (Heating & lighting) |
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4. Overview of targets in national strategies:
| Country |
National target |
By |
Denmark |
-75% (20 + 700/A) KWh/m² |
2020 |
France |
Energy Positive Buildings |
2020 |
Germany |
Buildings to operate without fossil fuels |
2020 |
Hungary |
0-emission buildings |
2020 |
The Netherlands |
Energy-neutral buildings |
2020 |
Norway |
Passive house level |
2017 |
England & Wales |
0-CO2 (heating, lighting, DHW & all appliances) |
2016 |
5. The most common financial incentives used to promote Very Low Energy Buildings are:
- low-interest loans;
- reduced tax rates;
- simplified requirements for heating billing;
- no obligation to take public heat supply;
- CO2 taxes;
- certification or labelling of Very Low Energy Buildings.
6. Examples of definitions:
| Country |
Definition |
| Austria |
- Low energy building = annual heating energy consumption below 60-40 KWh/m² gross area
- Passive building = Feist passive house standard (15 .Wh/m² per useful area (Styria) and per heated area (Tyrol)
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| Denmark |
- Low Energy Class 1 = calculated energy performance is 50% lower than the minimum requirement for new buildings
- Low Energy Class 2 = calculated energy performance is 25% lower than the minimum requirement for new buildings (i.e. for residential buildings = 70 + 2200/A kWh/m² per year where A is the heated gross floor area, and for other buildings = 95+2200/A kWh/m² per year (includes electricity for building-integrated lighting)
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| France |
- Dwellings: the average annual requirement for heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and lighting must be lower than 50 kWh/m² (in primary energy). This ranges from 40 kWh/m² to 65 kWh/m² depending on the climatic area and altitude.
- Other buildings: the average annual requirement for heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and lighting must be 50% lower than current Building Regulation requirements for new buildings
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| Germany |
- Residential Low Energy Building requirements = kfW60
(60kWh/(m²·a) or KfW40 (40 kWh/(m²·a))
- Passive House = KfW-40 buildings with an annual heat demand lower than 15 kWh/m² and total consumption lower than 120 kWh/m²
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| England & Wales |
Graduated minimum requirements over time:
- 2010 level 3 (25% better than current regulations),
- 2013 level 4 (44% better than current regulations and almost similar to PassivHaus)
- 2016 level 5 (zero carbon for heating and lighting),
- 2016 level 6 (zero carbon for all uses and appliances).
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A powerpoint presentation on the survey can be downloaded here. |
