–Transforming the European Union: Building Renovation Wave for Sustainable Future
Transforming the European Union: The Wave of Building Renovation
The European Union (EU) is undertaking a major wave of building renovation with the aim of promoting sustainable construction and improving energy efficiency. Through policies and regulations, as well as the use of innovative technologies, it aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve people's quality of life and foster economic growth in the building sector.
Strategies towards a greener and more resilient future
Currently, approximately 75% of the EU's building stock is energy inefficient and only 1% is renovated each year, resulting in high energy losses. The European Union (EU) is adopting policies and regulations focusing on energy efficiency and the use of innovative technologies to reshape the building sector and address the challenges of climate change. In this context, the "Wave of Renewal", a programme based on three key objectives, has been launched:
- Tackling fuel poverty and the worst performing buildings
- Renovating public buildings and social infrastructure
- Decarbonising heating and cooling
This initiative has led to several updates of legislation in recent years:
2021:
- Review of energy performance certificates and proposals to introduce mandatory minimum EPC standards for all building types
- Review of requirements for energy audits
2023:
- Proposal on building renovation passports to be linked to digital building portfolios
- Develop a roadmap on whole life-cycle performance to reduce carbon emissions from buildings, advancing benchmarking in Member States.
"To reach the target of reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030, proposed by the Commission in September 2020, the EU must reduce greenhouse gas emissions from buildings by 60%, their energy consumption by 14% and heating and cooling energy consumption by 18%."
Energy efficiency legislation
In addition to introducing energy efficiency targets for buildings, the EU has also developed a set of rules on energy-using products such as chillers and heat pumps to achieve efficient energy performance in heating and cooling modes.
The Directive establishes a framework for manufacturers to improve the energy performance of the products they make, with clear labelling (from A+++ to G) to simplify comparison of products and encourage buyers to choose the most efficient ones.
By 2027, public and non-residential buildings will have to achieve a minimum rating of F; and a minimum of E by 2030.
Equipment efficiency measures are calculated in different ways, depending on the equipment.
- The efficiency of chillers is indicated by the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio).
- The efficiency of heat pumps is shown as a measure of SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance).
- Industrial process chillers are labelled with a SEPR (Seasonal Energy Performance Ratio) label.
With our ErP Active Tool we teach you how to read/interpret the energy efficiency labels of air conditioning equipment.
Hitachi's innovative technologies and solutions for building renovation
Building renovation benefits from technologies and innovations that improve energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact. The integration of renewable energies, such as solar panels and aerothermal systems, has become common practice. In addition, the adoption of smart energy management systems and the implementation of resource efficiency solutions contribute to sustainable construction.
Heat Pumps Yutaki
The demand for aerothermal heat pumps has multiplied in recent years as these systems are positioned as a more sustainable alternative to the old combustion boilers. Aerothermal heat pumps use up to 75% of the energy in the air and are able to extract this energy even when the temperature is below 0ºC. The remaining energy it consumes is obtained from electricity, which can also come from a renewable source in combination with photovoltaics, or from the common electricity grid. In addition, some of our models are available with the environmentally friendly refrigerant R32 which reduces the impact on the environment and is between 5% and 15% more efficient than an R410a model.
airCloud
These systems can act on their own or be programmed to activate certain devices during specific times. One of the greatest benefits of home automation is how it can be used to optimise the use of appliances in the home and, in turn, improve energy consumption and efficiency.
Economic, social and environmental benefits
Building renovation not only has a positive impact on the environment, but also on the economy and society. Energy efficiency improvements:
- Employment generation and promotion of innovation.
- Improving the quality of life of occupants.
- Contribution to climate change mitigation.
The wave of building renovation represents a shift towards sustainable construction. Through policies and regulations, as well as the use of innovative technologies, it seeks to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and promote the quality of life of citizens.
by Hitachi Cooling & Heating
