Implementation Of Energy Performance Of Buildings

1. Background

Energy efficiency has been topping the agenda of most governments in recent years. Following the Kyoto Protocol, a greater impetus has been seen at a European level and by national governments to comply with obligations under the protocol. In late 2000 the European Council, endorsing the European Commission's Action Plan on Energy Efficiency, requested that specific measures be adopted in the building sector, as it has been shown that buildings play a major part in the consumption of energy.

One of the strategies adopted at European level took the form of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2002/19/EC). The principal aim of the Directive is to highlight the energy performance of buildings and to promote greater energy savings therein. This update looks at the obligations on owners of commercial buildings under the directive, what they must do to comply with the directive