Report on the transposition of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) into Irish law

Today, the Irish Green Building Council (IGBC) launched a report aimed to support the transposition of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) into Irish law. The document makes tangible recommendations on the introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) in Non-Residential Buildings by 2030.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has been a cornerstone of the European legislation on sustainable buildings for over twenty years. The EPBD has played a crucial role in promoting energy efficiency in buildings and has led to the introduction of Building Energy Rating (BERs) and the Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standard within our building stock.  An updated version of this important piece of legislation was passed in 2024 to support with the full decarbonisation of our building stock by 2050. The new EPBD includes a set of actions to kick-start a renovation wave across the continent, and for the first time, to address embodied carbon emissions. Embodied carbon covers the entire carbon emissions associated with materials and construction processes throughout the whole lifecycle of a building or infrastructure e.g., the manufacture, transport and installation of building materials themselves. Ireland and other Member States have until May 2026 to transpose the provisions of the updated EPBD.

Pat Barry, CEO at the Irish Green Building Council said: “The IGBC welcomed the adoption of the EPBD 2024 recast as a critical step in the decarbonisation of our built environment, and in improving people’s health and wellbeing. What we need now is an ambitious transposition of the text into Irish law to ensure it delivers to its full potential and provides additionality whilst supporting a just transition”.

A key element outlined in the EPBD requires member states to establish Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for non-residential buildings and ensure the mechanisms are in place to support compliance at the building level. Member states should also establish national trajectories for the progressive renovation of the national residential building stock.

Under the directive, member States must gather data on the energy performance of their non-residential building stock, to identify the 16% and 26% lowest performing buildings. All buildings in the 16% batch must be improved by 2030, with buildings in the 26% batch to be improved by 2033.

Paul Kelly, Head of sustainability, Real Estate Finance, AIB added: “Clear and early guidance on MEPS would be welcomed by the industry. Both certainty and predictability are necessary to build confidence and drive investment in the sector.”

Following in-depth research and stakeholder engagement, the report outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations for Government to ensure a successful implementation of MEPS in non-residential buildings. It is recommended to improve the quality of data through the introduction of mandatory BERs for non-residential properties, and to introduce them alongside multiple financial and technical measures. More specifically, appropriate technical support should be made available through the introduction of one-stop shops made up of independent advisors dedicated to SMEs and/or specific sectors. Furthermore, improving communication on long-term cost savings, and co-benefits of energy renovation, while also providing the necessary guidance on technical specifications and compliance deadlines, will be key in improving the overall uptake and compliance.

Gearóid Carvill, Climate Change Advisor, RIAI explained: “With the new Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) to improve the worst 16% of non-residential buildings required by 2030, there is an urgent need to prioritise awareness-raising and education within the built environment industry. Collaborating with other professionals and stakeholders on Climate Action is a key focus for the RIAI and our members.”

The new report will be part of a series of factsheets to be developed by the IGBC to inform industry of requirements, and support the transposition of the EPBD Recast 2024 (Directive (EU) 2024/1275) into Irish law. The IGBC will be hosting similar open invitation workshops focusing on other articles of the EPBD in 2025 and 2026 to support this process. This will include work on the National Renovation Action Plan, Renovation Passports, and the life-cycle global warming potential of buildings.

This report was developed as part of a project with the Renovate Europe Campaign, funded by the European Climate Foundation and is available at  https://www.igbc.ie/resources/epbd-report-mep