When the EU reminds us of near-zero energy buildings
Already in 2011, Spain launched the second route or National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency 2011 - 2022 in which only the term of buildings with almost zero energy consumption, with a very promising future application of a series of measures and mechanisms of action.
Objectives: the improvement of the energy efficiency of the building envelope, the thermal and lighting installations of the existing building stock and the improvement of the commercial refrigeration facilities; the construction and comprehensive rehabilitation of 8.2 million m2 / year with a high energy rating and the construction of new buildings with the characteristics of almost zero energy consumption (See article on how to reduce energy consumption at home).
Although few remember which were the objectives to promote and meet, in reality a very ambitious plan was presented of which we can see the initial objectives in the following diagram (It is only provided referring to building).
From 2011 to the present day, obviously many things have happened, but the most curious - in our understanding - is that the practice in Spain has surpassed the Legislation, that is, we have allowed ourselves the luxury of building, executing or rehabilitating buildings in which the European Regulation is fulfilled inbuildings almost zero energy consumption EECN before the Spanish administration even legislatively described theBuilding concept Nearly Zero Energy Consumption as we can see below.
The background in Spanish regulations in benefiting the execution or rehabilitation of energy-optimized buildings is mainly focused on the requirements established in the Regulation of Thermal Installations of Buildings and the Basic Document DB HE on energy saving:
At the beginning of this year, the European Union launched a synthesis report on the national plans in the matter of EECN (2016 - Can be consulted here) of the member countries of the EU. In the evaluation of development NZEB (Net Zero Energy Bulding = EECN Buildings with almost zero energy consumption or the rehabilitation of existing ones) of the Member States. From the document, the results were not good at all for Spain, designated with «ES».
Subsequently, Spain proceeded to publish Royal Decree 56/2016 that defines the characteristics of energy audits (Approved February 14, 2016) where, for the first time, the definition ofBuilding Energy Consumption Almost Nil (Since 2011) with a brief paragraph that said… “It is defined as a building with almost zero energy consumption, within the scope of Directive 2010/31 / EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, of May 19, 2010, relating to the energy efficiency of buildings, that building with a very high level of energy efficiency, which will be determined in accordance with Annex I of the aforementioned Directive. The almost zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered, to a very large extent, by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced 'on-site' or in the environment. ”…
It is evident that with the simple contribution of the exposed definition we are not going to suddenly erase the red color of the previous table and the demands from the EU before theEECN.
Considering the disparity between countries in the application of the existing regulatory framework, the European Union has just launched the documentRECOMMENDATION (EU) 2016/1318 of the Commission (July 29, 2016 - HERE) about the guidelines for promoting near-zero energy buildings and the best practices to ensure that by the end of 2022 all new buildings are near zero energy buildings.
It is a must-read document for all technicians and especially, a strong warning for the Spanish public administration and from other countries lagging behind with paragraphs like …
The document establishes an important point that clashes with the current attitude of the administration … «The almost zero or very low amount of energy required it should be covered, to a very large extent, by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced in situ or in the environment "with the current administrative and legislative obstacles in the Spanish territory, the regulations literally" face "the demands from the EU. (As data, so that we are aware of the importance of renewable sources in the document, the 12-page document repeats the phrase "renewable sources" 18 times)
Apart from all the technical aspects that must be observed, there are two dates that are reviewed again and that many of us already know. Which guarantee the obligation that EU countries must comply with …
We know that we are in a difficult time in Spain in all aspects, but the reality is that since 2011 we have had time to do many things, legislatively speaking, and we have literally rested on our laurels.
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