Governance & Policy
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
European Union directive setting minimum energy performance standards for buildings and charting the path to a zero-emission building stock by 2050.
Definition
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, recast as Directive (EU) 2024/1275, governs the energy performance of EU buildings. It requires all new buildings to be zero-emission from 2030, obliges member states to renovate their worst-performing stock, phases out fossil-fuel boilers, and mandates energy performance certificates and building renovation plans.
Quick reference
At a glance
- Subject
- Governance & Policy
- Editorial status
- Editorial draft
- Definition status
- Established
- Last updated
- 19 August 2026
- Also known as
- EPBD · Directive (EU) 2024/1275 · Buildings Directive
Overview
What it means
Buildings — the EU's largest energy consumer — get a legally binding trajectory toward zero emissions, with certificates that make performance visible to buyers and tenants.
How it is used
Property owners plan renovation waves; lenders use EPC ratings in green-mortgage criteria; governments draft national building renovation plans.
Why it matters
Decarbonising buildings is essential to net zero, and the EPBD is the instrument that sets the pace across the EU.
Review
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