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Building Services Engineering l November/December 2021
BACS amendments in the revised EPBD
The importance of proper, ambitious implementation In this specially-commissioned article, Hans Smid, President, eu.bac – the voice of the European building automation sector – puts the revised EPBD into context, and especially so the changes with regard to BACS and the implementation of the “smart readiness indicator”. Buildings account for almost 40% of the consumption of energy in the EU and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is the main legal instrument to address this challenge. It provides for a comprehensive and integrated approach towards improving the efficient use of energy in both new and existing buildings, residential as well as commercial. Ultimately, this is the instrument that translates high-level policy goals into concrete measures to deliver the expected savings in the building sector.
eu.bac edit.indd 2
Being a Directive and not a Regulation, one key element that must be considered relates to the flexibility of the member states. A Directive always allows flexibility, to a certain extent, to the member states in the transposition of such a Directive. It is therefore essential not only to contribute to the legislative process at EU level, but also to support implementation at national level, to ensure there will be no loopholes undermining the achievement of the previouslyagreed goals.
Hans Smid, President, eu.bac
EPBD: what is it? • The acronym EPBD stands for “Energy Performance of Buildings Directive” (2010/31/EU); • The Directive promotes policies helping: a) achieve a highly energyefficient and decarbonised building stock by 2050; b) create a stable environment for investment decisions; c) enable consumers and businesses to make more informed choices to save energy and money; • The Directive was amended in 2018 (by the Directive 2018/844/EU) and will be amended again in the coming years (the Commission will present its new proposal in December 2021).
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