Better understanding of the Energy Performance for Buildings Directive

Costin Dragnea, Anca Bieru and I met with Prof. Emilia-Cerna Mladin; President of the Romanian Association of Energy Auditors (AAEC) to discuss the recent imposition of the Energy Performance for Buildings Directive (EPBD), what is the current level of enforcement, and how can we assist our members with their green building objectives within this context?

Prior to this meeting, we purchased and reviewed the EU standards transposed for Romania on energy efficiency in buildings and the methodology that will be used for calculating the energy efficiency of buildings. Prof. Mladin gave us a very helpful explanation of the EPBD details and enforcement. From our research and our discussion we concluded the following:

– a credible audit regime is critical to identify and reward developers building greener buildings and to level the playing field to benefit the innovative and best-in-class developers. This was also emphasized in our meeting with the Romanian Agency for the Conservation of Energy (ARCE).

-The European Union is currently reviewing this directive with a greater priority placed on implementation of the directive at the member state level (in other words…more emphasis on compliance in Romania can be expected).

– Adoption of the mandatory Romanian Building Code, as it stands today, would result in buildings receiving a “B” or a “C” in the EBPD mandated rating system. Many buildings would not earn these ratings when audited (existing buildings require audits in 2009 and beyond) as they were not built to conform with the existing code.

-Our recommendation to RoGBC members is to be ready for the requisite audit and to aim for an “A” rating.

– a training program designed to help developers, constructors, architects, and engineers understand the requirements of the EPBD and how to achieve an “A” rating would be beneficial. The RoGBC is working with the AAEC to develop and deliver this curriculum. A shortened version of the full training program will be offered at our RoGBC launch event 14 Oct.

– We will need to design this training to ensure positive results from both the mandatory EPBD and desired private green certifications (BREEAM, LEED, etc.) can be implemented cost efficiently and without increasing project complexity.

– More details will follow as we will focus our efforts in the month of August to prepare this training for delivery around the November timeframe.

Please contact myself, Anca or Costin for more details at +40-21-222-5135 or the following email addresses:

steven.borncamp@RoGBC.org

anca.bieru@RoGBC.org

costin.dragnea@RoGBC.org

– Steve