Directive 2024/1275 - Energy performance of buildings (recast) - Main contents

Official Journal

of the European Union

EN

L series

2024/1275

8.5.2024

Directive 2010/31/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) has been substantially amended several times (5). Since further amendments are to be made, that Directive should be recast in the interests of clarity.

Under the Paris Agreement (6), adopted in December 2015 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (the ‘Paris Agreement’), its Parties have agreed to hold the increase in the global average temperature well below 2 oC above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1,5 oC above pre-industrial levels. Reaching the objectives of the Paris Agreement is at the core of the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (the ‘European Green Deal’). The Union committed itself to reducing the Union’s economy-wide net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % by 2030 below 1990 levels in the updated nationally determined contribution submitted to the UNFCCC Secretariat on 17 December 2020.

As announced in the European Green Deal, the Commission presented its Renovation Wave strategy in its communication of 14 October 2020 entitled ‘A Renovation Wave for Europe — greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives’. The Renovation Wave strategy contains an action plan with concrete regulatory, financing and enabling measures, with the objective to at least double the annual energy renovation rate of buildings by 2030 and to foster deep renovations, resulting in 35 million building units renovated by 2030 and the creation of jobs in the construction sector. The revision of Directive 2010/31/EU is necessary as one of the vehicles by which to deliver on the Renovation Wave. It will also contribute to delivering on the New European Bauhaus initiative, presented in the Commission communication of 15 September 2021 entitled ‘New European Bauhaus — Beautiful, Sustainable, Together’ and the European mission on climate-neutral and smart cities. The New European Bauhaus initiative is intended to foster a more inclusive society that promotes the wellbeing of all in keeping with the historical Bauhaus, which contributed to social inclusion and the well-being of citizens, in particular worker communities. By facilitating training, networks and providing guidelines to architects, students, engineers and designers under the principles of sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion, the New European Bauhaus initiative can empower local authorities to develop innovative and cultural solutions in creating a more sustainable built environment.

Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7) enshrines in Union law the target of economy-wide climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest and establishes a binding Union domestic reduction commitment of net greenhouse gas emissions (emissions after the deduction of removals) of at least 55 % below 1990 levels by 2030.

The ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package, announced by means of the Commission communication of...