Dear all,

This is a follow up on the previous blog post
with the CEN work program to develop a second generation of CEN standards to support the (recast) EPBD.

What was yet missing was a rough indication when to expect the products from this project. Therefore I drafted a short table with the main products and the rough dates for first and final drafts.

The first drafts of the documents under phase 1 begin to take shape, therefore we will soon provide you with some more details on the content of these products.

For the time being you will find below the table a brief explanation of each of these products (mainly copied from the work plan).

CEN Technical Specification with Basic principles

A Technical Specification with basic principles will provide guidance on the required quality, accuracy, usability and consistency of each standard and the rationalisation of different options given in the standards, providing a balance between the accuracy and level of detail, on one hand, and the simplicity and availability of input data, on the other.

Hidden complexities will also be taken into account, such as the impact of differences in the overall legal frameworks on the national choices and national input data.

The basic principles will be used to develop a set of detailed technical rules and an over-arching standard.

The basic principles and rules will also comprise rules and formats for the separation of harmonised procedures and choices and input at national or regional level.

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CEN Technical Specification with Detailed Technical Rules

A Technical Specification with detailed technical rules, based on the basic principles, will provide guidance for the over-arching standard (phase 1) and for each of the set of standards under phase 2.

It will comprise rules on:

• a clear and comprehensive field of application (scope) as well as
• a clear and comprehensive specification of the input data, also indicating the source of the data if this is the output calculated according to another standard;
• a clear and comprehensive specification of the output that is intended to provide the energy performance assessment results, the related data necessary for their proper interpretation and use, and all relevant information documenting the relevant boundary conditions and calculation or measurement steps;
• Preparing and applying a common format for each standard, including a systematic, hierarchic and procedural description of options, input/output variables and relations with other standards, including:
  • A clear separation of the procedures, options and data to be provided at national or regional level;
  • A common structure of easily accessible and comparable national annexes to each standard, containing the national or regional options, boundary conditions and input data;
  • An informative Technical Report, accompanying each standard, according to a common structure, comprising at least the results of internal validation tests (such as spreadsheet calculations for testing and demonstrating the procedures), examples and background information. If possible all informative parts which are currently part of the standards will be moved to these Technical Reports. This will significantly reduce the length of the standards and strengthen their focus, thus facilitating the adoption (including translation) in national/regional regulations.
• Preparing and applying a systematic hierarchic numbering of the standards.
• Ensuring that all procedures are software proof and unambiguous;
• Ensuring that the standards will be concise and complete, that can be easily referenced in legislation;
• Rationalisation of different options given in the standards, each option aiming at specific applications with respect to availability of input data and impact on the energy performance.

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CEN standard on Over-arching Modular Structure

The improved set of EPBD standards shall become a systematic, clear and comprehensive package for the benefit of professionals, Member States and relations with third countries.

In order to ensure consistency among EPBD standards and user-friendliness, a continuous but modular overall structure is needed, covering all standards related to the energy performance of buildings, providing the overall framework which will enable a step-by-step implementation by the EU Member States.

This over-arching standard on the integrated energy performance of buildings re-uses the main elements of EN 15603 (Overall energy use and definition of energy rating) and core elements of other key standards, including common definitions, terms and symbols, offering a systematic, clear and comprehensive, continuous but modular structure, enabling a step-by-step implementation by the Member States, taking also into account the nature of each procedure identifying the typical type of user.

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Work programme Phase 2

Under phase 1 an overview of all current standards will be prepared, indicating to what extent each of the standards will need to be revised and the timeframe in which the work can be accomplished.

In addition an overview will be provided on all new standards that need to be developed, including the associated workload and resources needed. This includes the identification and prioritisation of items for revision and gaps in the current set of standards, on the basis of the basic principles, in consultation with the Member States.

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Phase 2, New/revised set of standards

Standards will be prepared, to allow the assessment of the energy efficiency of buildings. The existing harmonised European standards for EPBD will be used as a basis and adjusted according to the needs of the recast EPBD Directive 2010/31/EU.

This includes the following issues:

• general checking on the appropriateness of the current set of standard in particular for existing building given the extension of scope in the recast;
• More focus on models and input data which are suited to existing buildings;
• More focus on passive cooling techniques and for the assessment of the energy performance of cooling systems;
• Integration of the inspection standards on systems for heating, cooling and ventilation;
• Where needed, expansion of the procedures to nearly zero energy buildings by way of renewable sources of energy, and procedures for energy producing buildings;
• More consideration given to alternative systems;
• Integrated approach for calculating minimum performance requirements for technical building systems and building envelope taking into account all energy uses.

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