EPBD
refers to the Directive 2002/91/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of
buildings. It required European Union countries to bring into force
the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to
comply with this Directive at the latest on 4 January 2006. EPBD’s
main objective is to stimulate the improvement of energy performance
of buildings in the EU (residential and public buildings sector
accounts for more than 40 % of final energy consumption in the
Community), with regard to local climate, exploitation conditions,
and economic feasibility.
The
Directive was introduced in Poland with the novelization of the
Construction Law of 19 September 2007 (Journal of Laws no. 191, item
1373).
The
law obliged the Minister responsible for the construction process to
issue an ordinance concerning the methodology of calculating energy
performance of buildings and apartments or units designed for
separate use in blocks and the method of preparing and template for
EP certificates (Journal of Laws no. 2001, item 1240).
According
to the above mentioned documents, the system enters into force on 1
January 2009. From that day on, every building constructed, sold or
rented out must have an energy performance certificate.
The
system aims at achieving energy savings in the communal sector, which
is a sector responsible for the highest energy consumption in the
European Union (about 40% of total energy consumption). Energy
performance certificates are to raise the consciousness of
inhabitants and investors about energy saving and its financial
advantages. They are also meant to shape the real estate market so
that the long-term costs of energy are taken into account when
determining the value of a given estate.
For
the owners of buildings and apartments, energy performance
certification is a chance to acquire useful information about their
property. Buildings with high energy performance should become more
attractive for potential buyers or tenants, because high energy
performance means that running costs are lower.