Minimum energy performance standards

Rules that force renovation

Most energy rules for buildings apply when someone builds or renovates. Minimum energy performance standards work the other way round: they require an existing building to reach a set level, and so trigger the renovation themselves. The definition names two ways to do that. The requirement can apply by a date, as part of a renovation plan for the whole stock, or at a trigger point on the market such as a sale, a new rental or a change of use.

Article 9(1) makes them compulsory for non-residential buildings. Each Member State sets two maximum energy performance thresholds against its non-residential stock on 1 January 2020: one above which 16 % of that stock sits, and one above which 26 % sits. All non-residential buildings must be below the 16 % threshold from 2030 and below the 26 % threshold from 2033. Compliance is checked on the basis of energy performance certificates or other available means. Article 9(6) lets Member States exempt certain categories of building, and Article 9(7) requires monitoring and penalties.

For homes the Directive takes a different route: Article 9(2) asks for a national trajectory for the residential stock rather than a standard for each building.

In the Netherlands, RVO describes the coming standard as energy label D by 1 January 2030 for the worst-performing non-residential buildings. As at 14 October 2026 that rule sits in the third tranche of the Dutch implementation and has not been adopted. Offices have needed label C since 1 January 2023 under a separate Dutch rule.