Guide and examples

New! The Guide how to fill in National Annexes or National Data Sheets can now be downloaded directly.

Available upon request: a file with editable Annexes B of (EN) ISO 52000-1. 52003-1, 52010-1, 52016-1 and 52018-1.

See also the page with examples of filled in National Annexes from individual counries or regions provided to the EPB Center for demonstration.

Or perhaps you are interested in the recording of the webinar dd February 4, 2020 on this issue?

See also e.g. the Frequently Asked Questions section on national choices under the Topic "General"

 

"National Annexes" provide flexibility with respect to specific national or regional choices in the EPB standards

To provide flexibility in the application of the set of EPB standards, clearly identified options and national data remain necessary due to differences in climate, culture and building tradition, building typologies, policy and legal frameworks (including the type and level of quality control and enforcement). For example, climatic data is expected to be defined on a national and/or regional level in a National Annex or National Data sheet.

The harmonized procedures in the EPB standards need to be separated from the national or regional options (choices).

This has been achieved by the "Annex A/Annex B" approach.

Annex A/Annex B approach

Each EPB standard has the following two Annexes:

• Annex A (normative): mandatory (empty) framework template for choices and input data and references to other EPB standards
• Annex B (informative): framework template of Annex A completed with one set of voluntary default choices and input data and references to other EPB standards.

In general each individual user of the EPB standard is free to create his/her own data sheet according to the template of Annex A (i.e.: to replace the default choices and values of Annex B). But:

• For instance private parties can mutually agree (private contract) to use any specific set of choices and values (a completed data sheet according to the template of Annex A) for the assessment of the energy performance for their private use;
• In addition e.g. (national or regional) authorities can mandatory prescribe a specific set of choices and values (a specific data sheet according to the template of Annex A, replacing the default choices and input values of Annex B) for the assessment of the energy performance in the context of their building regulations (or different sets, depending on the application).

It is expected, if the default choices in Annex B are not followed due to national regulations, policy or traditions, that:

• national or regional authorities prepare National Data sheets containing the choices and national or regional values, according to the template in Annex A. In this case a National Annex to the EPB standard is recommended, containing a reference to these data sheets;
   
• or, by default, the national standards body will consider the possibility to add or include a National Annex to the EPB standard, in agreement with the template of Annex A. In this case the legal documents could refer to the EPB standards plus National Annexes as the national or regional energy performance assessment procedures.

Annex B with informative default choices

Annex B of each EPB standard provides one complete set of voluntary ("Informative") choices for all options, boundary conditions and input data. This is called the set of default choices.

These choices and values have the status of "experts best guess" and are not based on extensive studies involving national preferences and limitations.

By using Annex B, the procedure to calculate the overall energy performance becomes fully operational. This set can be adopted by any individual country or region as their national or regional set of choices.

This set is also intended as stimulus for further harmonization. The use of Standards with a common set of choices, input data and references to other EPB standards, facilitates the comparison of best practise by establishing a common metrics.

National Annexes and the EPBD

The revised EPBD (2018) of the European Union requires that the Member States describe their national calculation methodology following the national annexes of five of the EPB standards. Read more on the page on the EPBD.

See also more specifically Recommendations published by the European Commission.