Energy performance of buildings

Climate change sets the priority goals of environmental efforts in the building sector in relation to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment. The operation of buildings represents 40% of the total energy consumption in Europe. Concrete offers a very effective solution to the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (Directive 2002/91/EC of 16 December 2002), which applies minimum requirements on the energy performance of new buildings, including heating and cooling energy. The main energy benefit of using concrete in buildings is its high thermal mass that leads to thermal stability. This saves energy and produces a better indoor climate/environment for building occupants and users.

Concrete is capable of buffering a large part of the free heat gains such as solar radiation and heat and can decrease energy consumption and improve thermal comfort.

The thermal mass of concrete in buildings:

• Optimises the benefits of solar gain, thereby reducing the need for heating fuel.
• Reduces heating energy consumption by 2 - 15%.
• Smoothes out fluctuations in internal temperature.
• Delays peak temperatures in offices and other commercial buildings until the occupants have left.
• Reduces peak temperatures and can make air-conditioning unnecessary.
• Can be used with night-time ventilation to eliminate the need for daytime cooling.
• When combined with air-conditioning, it can reduce the energy used for cooling by up to 50%.
• Can reduce the energy costs of buildings.
• Makes best use of low-temperature heat sources such as ground source heat pumps.
• The reductions in energy use for both heating and cooling cuts emissions of CO2.
• Will help future proof buildings against climate change.

In June 2008, CEMBUREAU responded to a public consultation on the recasting of the EPBD (Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2002/91/EC). In its response, the Association supported the extension of the existing Directive to cover buildings of less than 1000m^₂ in order to achieve further CO₂ reductions. As approximately 70% of buildings in the EU are under 1000m², this would create new energy performance requirements for the majority of buildings in Europe. There is general consensus on the need for stricter regulations on energy consumption in buildings.

At the Energy Council, on 7 December 2009, the Swedish Presidency formally presented a political agreement, reached with the European Parliament in November, on three pieces of EU legislation on energy efficiency. In relation to the EPBD, The 1000 m2 threshold for major renovation has been changed and Member States will have to choose the definition of major renovation between 2 options: a) when the total cost of renovation is higher than 25% of the total building value or b) when more than 25% of the surface of the building envelope undergoes renovation. 

Formal adoption, however, is expected under the Spanish Presidency due to changes under the Lisbon Treaty. 

Click here to view a portfolio of examples of low energy concrete buildings from across Europe, available from the European Concrete Platform website.

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