According to the EU directive amended in 2010, member States shall ensure that:
(a) by 31 December 2020, all new buildings are nearly zero- energy buildings; and
(b) after 31 December 2018, new buildings occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly zero-energy buildings.
The directives states that:
“Buildings account for 40 % of total energy consumption in the Union. The sector is expanding, which is bound to increase its energy consumption. Therefore, reduction of energy consumption and the use of energy from renewable sources in the buildings sector constitute important measures needed to reduce the Union’s energy dependency and greenhouse gas emissions”.
“Buildings have an impact on long-term energy consumption. Given the long renovation cycle for existing buildings, new, and existing buildings that are subject to major renovation, should therefore meet minimum energy performance requirements adapted to the local climate”.
This statement is particularly interesting for new buildings in Spain. Not only do Spanish buildings tend to lack proper insulation to stay warm in the winter months, but the heat of the summer also has its challenges. The directive addresses this issue:
“Recent years have seen a rise in the number of air-conditioning systems in European countries. This creates considerable problems at peak load times, increasing the cost of electricity and disrupting the energy balance. Priority should be given to strategies which enhance the thermal performance of buildings during the summer period”.
“Measures to improve further the energy performance of buildings should take into account climatic and local conditions as well as indoor climate environment and cost-effectiveness”.
“The methodology for calculating energy performance should be based not only on the season in which heating is required, but should cover the annual energy performance of a building”.
An Eco Vida building lives up to all of these points raised by the directive. With time, we’ll see more and more build within these guidelines. It makes perfect sense. The eco buildings are much more comfortable, and as the directive says:
“Measures are needed to increase the number of buildings which not only fulfill current minimum energy performance requirements, but are also more energy efficient, thereby reducing both energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions”.
Read more about the EU directive here.
