Although significant efforts have been undertaken in Member States since about 10-15 years to drastically reduce the energy use in the building sector, improving the compliance of building energy performance assessments and the quality of building works are two aspects … Continue reading
Update: the final version of the source book is now available. New buildings, as well as the renovated building stock, should aim not just for good energy performance but also for good quality of the works, as this is a prerequisite … Continue reading
Documented examples of existing situations regarding quality of works The trend towards Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEB) implies the correct execution of classical building works on the one hand, and the proper use of specific workforce skills for implementing advanced technologies on … Continue reading
AMA (General material and workmanship specifications) has been used in Sweden for more than sixty years. The different parts of AMA are used as reference documents in technical specifications. Between 90 and 95% of all building projects in Sweden refer … Continue reading
The City of STUTTGART’s RETROFIT STANDARD comprises various steps to achieve the energy-efficient retrofit of both residential and non-residential buildings. This includes the construction supervision, for which the City’s Energy Consultancy Office (EBZ) provides qualified experts. In this process, mainly … Continue reading
12 January 2016 Building airtightness is a critical factor for Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings and represents a key challenge for the building sector. The objective of this webinar was to give background information on selected initiatives to improve the quality of … Continue reading
17 December 2015 Ventilative cooling—i.e., the use of natural or mechanical ventilation strategies to cool indoor spaces—can be very effective to reduce the cooling energy demand in buildings in summer or mid-season conditions. This webinar is part of a broader … Continue reading
27 April 2015 The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive recast gives ambitious goals for the building sector to reduce energy use as well as greenhouse gas emissions. It requires member states to engage in the generalisation of Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings … Continue reading
Fact sheet #02 describes a new obligatory scheme introduced in Germany, which requires contractors to confirm in writing that the specific minimum energy performance requirements for building envelope components, space heating and hot water generation and distribution systems and newly … Continue reading
Fact sheet #01 describes how a quality management scheme has been introduced in the French energy regulation to encourage professionals to question their current practice and find effective solutions to improve building airtightness. The scheme allows successful applicants (mostly builders … Continue reading