For many years, environmental questions have been central
societal concerns. Consequently, increasing attention is paid to
energy consumption in general. The real estate sector has not
escaped this trend. Indeed, residential and commercial buildings
account for 40% of the European Union's total energy
consumption. Moreover, as the real estate sector is expanding,
particular attention has been paid these past few years to means of
reducing energy consumption in the sector and promoting the use of
energy produced from renewable sources.
In order to achieve these goals and allow the European Union
to conform to the Kyoto Protocol, the European Parliament and the
Council of the European Union adopted on 19 May 2010 a new
directive on the energy performance of buildings. This directive
reiterates the obligation for the Member States to put in place a
certification system for the energy performance of buildings and to
provide such a certificate upon the sale or lease of the
