Buildings play a significant role in the EU energy landscape, accounting for around 40% of total energy consumption. A comprehensive policy framework within the EU encourages energy efficiency and renewable production to achieve a climate neutral continent by 2050. While Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs) remain the mandatory target for all new buildings from 2021 to 2030, the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive establishes new key requirements and targets, such as the new building standard of Zero-Emission Building (ZEB), mandatory for all new buildings as of 2030. In the view of achieving a decarbonised EU building stock by 2050, the transposition from NZEB to ZEB must be swiftly fulfilled, avoiding the delays that characterized the early NZEB implementation. This paper provides insights into NZEBs and ZEBs across the EU Member States, analysing ambition of the definition criteria. It compares current NZEB levels with indicative ZEB thresholds in terms of primary energy demand and renewable energy contribution. The findings emphasise the necessity to embrace measures aimed at improving energy efficiency and harnessing renewable energy sources, minimizing energy waste, promoting the adoption of smart home technologies and energy management systems to optimize energy usage, providing financial incentives and targeted support programs. Results highlight the aspects to be addressed to boost ZEBs and move towards a more sustainable and energy-efficient building sector, with several advantages, such as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, dependence on energy supply, and increasing jobs, energy security, and economic growth.

DAGOSTINO Delia;  MADUTA Carmen; 

2026-05-05

SPRINGER SINGAPORE

JRC141442

2366-2565 (online),   

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-032-10546-2_75,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141442,   

10.1007/978-3-032-10546-2_75 (online),