Irish Green Building Council has welcomed the passing of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which could reduce the carbon footprint of Ireland's buildings.

The directive will require member states to regulate the embodied carbon of buildings for the first time. Embodied carbon is the carbon associated with the construction, maintenance, and demolition of buildings, including the extraction, processing and transporting of building materials. So far, building regulations in Ireland have solely addressed operational carbon, which refers to emissions linked to heating, cooling, and lighting buildings.

IGBC CEO Pat Barry said: "The new EPBD represents a step change in Europe’s ambitions to decarbonise its building stock.

"For the first time, we will have to measure and limit the embodied carbon in the construction of our buildings. Ireland’s built environment is responsible for 37% of national carbon emissions, of which 23% is operational carbon and 14% is embodied carbon. But until now embodied carbon has been the elephant in the room of our built environment emissions, left unregulated.

"This directive gives Ireland a unique opportunity to lead on whole life carbon. A national methodology to measure whole life carbon emissions has already been developed, with considerable work already done on establishing national baselines. Given the scale of building proposed in Ireland over the coming years, it is imperative limits are introduced here sooner than the directive requires – by 2028 at the latest if we are to meet our climate targets."

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Under the new rules, member states must measure and disclose the total carbon emissions over the entire lifespan of new buildings from 2030. They also have to set carbon reduction targets for buildings starting from the same year and decrease them gradually.

The updated EPBD requires all new buildings to be Zero Emission Buildings (ZEBs) by 2030. These buildings must generate no on-site emissions and operate with minimal energy usage, primarily from renewables or district heating where possible. Additionally, the directive aims to initiate a renovation surge throughout the continent, mandating member states to offer financial aid and assistance for extensive renovations. The ultimate goal is to achieve a "zero emissions building stock" by 2050.

Mr Barry added:

"The new EPBD can help to kick-start the renovation wave that is urgently needed to decarbonise Ireland’s building stock.

"No matter how good our new buildings are, we will never meet our climate goals unless we dramatically increase our rate of energy retrofit to tackle emissions from existing buildings. This is also a great opportunity to improve people’s health and wellbeing by tackling fuel poverty, improving indoor air quality, and making our buildings warmer and more comfortable."

The directive requires member states to create national renovation plans and provide renovation passports. These passports help building owners plan renovations gradually. Furthermore, new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) will compel member states to incrementally enhance the energy efficiency of current buildings. Additionally, there is a provision to safeguard tenants from the threat of eviction following a retrofit.

Other measures include a solar mandate that aims to dramatically increase the number of buildings that produce solar power, the phasing out of fossil fuel boilers by 2040, and greater focus on indoor environmental quality in buildings.

The new EPBD is one of the key laws in the EU's "Fit for 55" package of legislation, it aims to reduce the Union's carbon emission by 55 per cent by 2030, as part of the European Green Deal.

Irish Green Building Council Chairperson Ali Grehan said: "Half a million homes will be built in Ireland up to 2040, and at the same time we need to dramatically scale up the pace of renovation. With its focus on whole life carbon and deep renovation, the new EPBD can set us on a path towards a net zero built environment, and towards turning the many older, colder, and derelict buildings in our towns and cities into warm, comfortable and sustainable homes."

After receiving approval from the European Parliament, the directive will proceed to the European Council for formal adoption within the coming two months.