The approval of European directive on energy performance of buildings could require the renovation of millions of buildings in Italy, especially those in class F and G, the two least efficient categories. According to the data collected by Eneabeyond the half of the Italian building stock is in these two energy classes, and there are still buildings that have not been considered in the survey and are even less efficient. The energy certification of the house is a mandatory document for the construction of new homes, the sale or rental of the property or the request for public subsidies for a renovation.
The energy performance is measured considering the use of electricity and analyzing i consumption related to winter and summer air conditioningat the ventilation and to domestic hot water production. Energy class G is the worst, and is obtained from rather dated buildings, built over 40 years ago, characterized by high heat loss and considerable costs for heating and cooling the building in winter and summer. The European directive on the energy performance of buildings marks one political and environmental changerepresenting an important step towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
Where are the homes with the highest consumption in Italy
The European directive on the energy performance of buildings will require, except for exceptionsand energy efficiency of many homes in Italy. According to the data collected by Enea, this directive could above all concern the Regions Tuscany, Lazio, Liguria, Umbria and Molise, which have the largest number of constructions in class F and G, the two least efficient categories. Again for Enea, over half of the Italian building stock is in these two energy classes, and there are still buildings that were not considered in the survey and which are even less efficient.
Aeneas created a database called Information System on Energy Performance Certificates which refers to nearly 5.5 million buildings. From the data it is clear that more than one out of two properties is in energy class F or G. The European directive on the energy performance of buildings was introduced because the buildings are responsible for almost 40% of carbon dioxide emissions related to energy consumption. This means that most of the pollution is caused by buildings. In Italy, this percentage drops to 17%, but there is still a lot to do.
European consequences of the directive on the energy performance of buildings
Some regulations to increase energy efficiency have already been introduced at the level of individual countries. For example, from January 1 this year in France it is not possible to rent some particularly energy-intensive homes. The European directive on the energy performance of buildings also marks a political turning point, as a new majority is drawn. The Italian centre-right voted solidly against the directive, even though Forza Italia is formally part of the majority in support of the European Commission.
The same voting dynamics occurred on the occasion of the stop the sale of cars with internal combustion engines since 2035. This means that the European Parliament’s vote not only marks an environmental and economic turning point, but also a political one. The approval of the European directive on the energy performance of buildings is certainly an important step towards reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and improving the energy efficiency of buildings. However, there are still many buildings in Italy in need of energy efficiency, and this directive can help to do so.
What is the energy certification of buildings
The energy certification of the house is a document that certifies the energy efficiency of the building, indicating how much a building is able to use energy in an optimal and sustainable way. Based on the evaluation ofglobal energy performance index (EP) and an energy efficiency score between 1 and 10, the building is classified in one of ten energy categories, from A4 (best) to G (worst).
The drafting of the energy class is mandatory in some circumstances, such as for the construction of new homes, the sale or rental of the property or the request for public subsidies for a renovation. As we have seen, EP is measured considering the minimum and maximum energy consumption, analyzing the consumption related to winter and summer air conditioning, ventilation and the production of domestic hot water. The quality of the materials used in the dwellingthe type of fixturesthe presence of renewable energy sources and any interventions by efficiency may affect the calculation.
The energy classes of the buildings
The energy class G is the worst, and is obtained from rather dated buildings, built over 40 years ago, characterized by high heat loss and considerable costs for heating and cooling the building in winter and summer.
The properties in energy class F they are also underperforming and equipped with inefficient heating systems, without any source of renewable energy. While slightly better than class G, they are still not environmentally and economically sustainable homes.
The homes of energy class E represent the majority of the properties present in our country today, built between the 70s and 90s, equipped with a methane gas heating system and a higher level of thermal insulation than class G and F houses, however not still efficient enough.
The class D refers to the same class E buildings, but with better thermal insulation of the building, thanks to more effective insulation which reduces energy requirements.
The approved houses of class C these are properties that are starting to be more efficient, as some improvements have been introduced, such as the replacement of the old heating system with a more efficient one, the installation of double-glazed windows or the adoption of renewable energy sources.
The houses of class B and A they are the most efficient, able to use energy in an optimal and sustainable way, with consequent savings in economic and environmental terms.
