A question has been tormenting homeowners for some time: is it true that, in the future, sell or rent a house will be prohibited if the property does not meet certain requirements energy efficiency? Indeed, for a while the idea circulated in Brussels, but it was short-lived. Wednesday the European Commission presented the proposal for a directive on the energy efficiency of buildings and the most controversial hypothesis – present in the drafts of recent days – has disappeared from the final text.
But what is there, then, in the proposal of the Community Executive? In the official version, the directive hypothesized by Brussels significantly lowers the scope, but does not completely abandon the original objective. In fact, it provides that – in each country – 15% of the worst performing housing stock need to be upgraded to pass from energy class G to F. The time limit is 2027 for non-residential buildings and the 2030 for residential ones.
Furthermore, the Commission proposes that, starting in 2030, all the new buildings must be a zero emissions (for public buildings only, the obligation would start from 2027).
From 2040, on the other hand, it should start the stop to gas boilers.
In general, "by 2025 - reads the Commission's proposal - all energy performance certificates will have to be based on a harmonized scale from A to G" and "the national building renovation plans will be fully integrated into the national plans for the 'energy and the climate'.
The obligation to certify the energy certification it will be extended to buildings undergoing major renovations and to all public buildings. Not only that: "Even the buildings or real estate units that are offered for sale or for rent must be provided with a certificate and the energy performance class must be indicated in all advertisements".
He intervened to clear the field of any doubt Frans Timmermans, Vice-President of the European Commission: “Brussels will not tell you not to sell or rent your house if it is not renovated; no bureaucrat in Brussels will confiscate your house if it is not renovated. Cultural heritage and summer houses may be exempt. Our proposal does not contain any ban on the sale or rental of buildings that will be classified in class G, but only for the 15% of buildings with the worst energy efficiency".
