What is the difference between a National Annex and a National Data Sheet?
Each country/region can make a specific set of choices, according to the template of Annex A of a given EPB standard, for the assessment of the energy performance. Or different sets, depending on the application. Once this template of Annex A is filled in with the national data and choices, it can be published. If […]
How many EU countries have prepared and published a National Annex or National Datasheet for national application?
Examples of currently published publicly available NA’s and ND’s can be found on the EPB Center website, Further to this, there are a few NA’s and ND’s that we are not allowed to share, because of copyright issues. You are invited to read FAQ Are all National Annexes and National Datasheets publicly available? for more […]
Is the set of EPB standards used exclusively for energy performance certification or also for design?
The most time-consuming task when preparing a calculation for an energy performance certificate or compliance check, is describing the building with all it’s details. So, if the same calculation procedure can be used also for design calculations it makes life much easier. Moreover, you ensure that you use compatible definitions and assumptions. For exactly this […]
Each EPB standard allows specific choices to accommodate national/regional differences in climate, building tradition, policy and user behaviour. Is it then allowed for a national authority to make specific choices mandatory?
Indeed, each country/region can make specific choices to accommodate national/regional differences in climate, building tradition, policy and user behaviour, as long as the template of Annex A of a given EPB standard is respected. These choices are laid down in a National Annex or National Data Sheet on that standard. Such a document is in […]
Why is not the full set of EPB standards available at global (ISO) level?
In general, the choice to start the development of a new standard is up to the stakeholders. The development of the set of EPB standards was originally initiated by the European Commission under mandate M/480, to support the energy performance of buildings directive, EPBD (link to EPBD). Europe started to develop EPB-related CEN (=European) standards […]
Which stakeholders were involved in the development of the set of EPB standards and how do they take into account the feedback from the market?
The responsible ISO and CEN technical committees (TCs) have working groups (WGs) where the technical experts are cooperating to prepare new standards or revise existing standards. The technical experts are nominated by the National Standards Bodies (NSBs), the CEN/ISO members. The background of these experts is very diverse: designers, industry, practitioners (dealing with system or […]
How can EU Member States follow the template of Annex A of a given EPB standard to describe their national calculation procedures (acc. to EPBD:2018, Annex 1) if their national calculation procedures are different?
According to EPBD:2018, Annex 1, when EPB standards are not adopted in full by a EU Member State, then the Annex A of the standard should be used as a template to describe the national calculation methodology and national choices, ensuring compliance with the EPBD. If a Member State is able to use the normative […]
Each ISO standard is relevant at global level, including Europe. So why are the EPB standards that have been prepared in collaboration between ISO and CEN, published as combined European (CEN) and global international (ISO) standards and not simply published as ISO standards?
By preparing the standard as a combined CEN and ISO standard, the final draft standard is subjected to parallel voting: by the ISO members to approve publication as an ISO standard, and by the CEN members to approve it as a CEN standard. If the final draft is approved in ISO, but rejected in CEN, […]
Do the EPB standards go beyond a single building, such as networks? Do they cover demand-side flexibility?
First of all, (EN) ISO 52000-1, the overarching EPB standard, introduces the term “building portfolio”: a set of buildings and common technical building systems whose energy performance is determined taking into account their mutual interactions. An example of common technical systems is an energy generation system (PV panels, wind turbine, cogeneration unit, boiler, etc.) serving […]
The template for national choices (Annex A in each EPB standard) is mandatory. Does this mean that all tables shall be filled in always?
If (a part of) a table in Annex A of the EPB standard is not applicable due to national choices that are in line with the standard, the corresponding (part of) the table in the National Annex or National Datasheet may be left blanc. It is strongly advised be stated explicitly why (the part of) […]