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An ex-post assessment of the regulation on the energy performance of buildings in Greece and the Netherlands—a cross-country comparison

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Abstract

Hastening the energy saving rate in the built environment is a common goal of both the Dutch and the Greek government within the context of EU2020 strategy. In view of the recast Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) (2010/31/EC), considered to be an important route towards exploiting the energy saving potential of the building stock, this paper conducted an ex-post assessment of the national Regulations on Energy Performance of Buildings (REPB) including energy performance certificates (EPCs), as transposed and implemented in Greece and the Netherlands. Results suggest that the implementation of the new EPBD requirements is still at an early stage for both countries. Similarities in the design of the two national schemes are demonstrated regarding quality assurance systems, while enforcement regimes show contrasting approaches with the Dutch EPCs operating at a voluntary basis. Both Dutch and the Greek scheme present a similar case regarding their low implementability, attributed though to dissimilar causes and external influences. Policy incoherence is another common characteristic traced between the two national yet different administration styles across governance levels, lacking of policy integration and coordination. The evaluation framework sheds some light on the understanding of the policy outcomes and design characteristics of the transposed REPB schemes in relation to the theory behind their implementation, while dealing with regulatory elements verified by observations and experiences, which need to be considered.

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Notes

  1. Efficacy provides information on the general suitability of a policy or measure to reach a specific goal.

  2. Government: Ministry of Environment, Energy, and Climate Change (Special Service for the Coordination and Implementation of Actions in the sectors of Energy), Special Service of Energy Inspectorate; Governmental Energy Agency: Centre of Renewable Energy Sources and Saving; Environmental and Energy Consultants: EPTA (Consulting Company on environmental protection); Market actors/installers of energy efficient equipment: E.M. and Spiliotopoulou—Integrated technical support for EE and RES interventions; Energy Services Company: GRESCO (Greek Energy Services Company); Property Federation: POMIDA (Greek national organization of immovable private property and buildings owners of Greece); Recycling Company: Appliances Recycling S.A.

  3. Of the average final consumption of the 2001–2006 period.

  4. The energy efficiency coefficient (EPC) is an instrument consisting of minimum norms for the new buildings, which must be built according to these norms to improve EE. The energy performance standards (EPN = Energie Prestatie Norm) for newly built houses have already existed since 1995 (before the EPC) as part of the Dutch policy mix to reduce CO2.

  5. Rules on rational use of energy saving—‘Κανονισμός Ορθολογικής Χρήσης & Εξοικονόμησης Ενέργειας (KOXEE)’.

  6. Detailed calculations are provided by the software on primary energy savings, investment costs, payback period, and the cost of each KWh saved (Concerted Action 2012a).

  7. According to the census of buildings (2001) 3,990,970 buildings have been registered in Greece (Hellenic Statistical Authority 2001).

  8. In January 2012, the number of certificates was more than doubled as compared to 2011 largely due to the fact that the issuing of an EPC became obligatory for the leases of flats.

  9. SEH—Saving Energy at Home (http://exoikonomisi.ypeka.gr/) is a national funding programme aiming to improve the energy performance of residences through subsidies/soft loans for the installation of RES and energy conservation interventions. The programme requests the issuance of two EPCs: one before EE interventions to identify the energy class of the building and a second upon their finalization for verifying that the residence has been upgraded by (at least) one energy class.

  10. A change rate of −3.8 % was expected (MoEECC 2010), whereas the observed rate of decrease in the final consumption expenditure (Eurostat) amounted to −7.6 % from 2010 to 2011.

  11. Approximately, an average −1 % annual drop in final consumption expenditure of households from 2008 onwards (Eurostat, Final consumption expenditure of households by consumption purpose) has been recorded.

  12. The number of permits for new dwellings has recorded an average compound annual growth rate of −13 % during 2009–2011(CBS).

  13. 276,676 new dwellings were built within 2008–2010 despite the negative annual rates of new dwellings for the same period.

  14. Dutch households have one of the lowest levels of energy consumption per m2 registering an annual drop of −1.43 % (ODYSSEE MURE) between 2000 and 2011 in the EU.

  15. In December 2012, due to the crisis and the rise in the price of heating oil, many residents of Attica started using their fireplaces or wood-burning stoves for heating. Inevitably, the use of poor quality firewood, biomass products, and various old wooden or plastic materials created pollution problems from hazardous airborne particulates and other pollutants in the atmosphere (Valavanidis et al. 2013).

  16. HBTIR was introduced in Greece in 1980 and was the first Regulation to set minimum requirements for the energy performance of new buildings, focusing on the thermal insulation of the building envelope. In 2010, HBTIR was substituted by KENAK imposing more demanding requirements.

  17. The new Building Code came into force in July 4th 2012, enacted in April by Law 4067/2012, replaced the old one issued in 1985, and is oriented towards the environmental upgrading of the built environment and more specifically aims to provide incentives for employing bioclimatic design and use of renewables in new buildings.

  18. Horizontal property rights apply mainly to multi-apartment buildings and is a form of divided ownership. According to the horizontal ownership, there is obligatory joint ownership of a number of common areas in the buildings, such as the stairway, the terrace, etc.

  19. ISO 50001 voluntary management system standards support organizations in all sectors to use energy more efficiently, through the application of energy management systems.

  20. In the Netherlands, for instance, the trust on the EPC is around 30 % (Gynther and Gerdes 2014), and it is believed that the label class does not completely define energy consumption, as many bad labeled buildings have lower gas consumption than expected, which in turn negatively influences payback time of energy saving interventions.

  21. Details and a thorough description of those legal acts can be found here: Dascalaki et al. 2012.

  22. Seven (7) energy inspectors, one (1) administrative employee, and one (1) employee from the Finance Department.

  23. Common Ministerial Decision AP 13/12-01/17373/1239/20.09.2013. Open call to beneficiaries under the program “Beneficiaries Aid for the acquisition of the status of the Energy Inspector”.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the European Commission (EC) DG Research for supporting the research activity APRAISE (“Assessment of Policy Interrelationships and Impacts on Sustainability in Europe”)—Grant agreement 283121. We would also like to thank all policy makers and experts who participated in interviews providing their feedback as part of the empirical analysis. Finally, authors are also thankful to partners of the APRAISE consortium, who have contributed for the successful implementation of the project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Industrial Management and Technology, University of Piraeus, 80, Karaoli & Dimitriou str., 18534, Piraeus, Greece

    Niki-Artemis Spyridaki, Anastasia Ioannou & Alexandros Flamos

  2. Joint Implementation Network, Laan Corpus den Hoorn 300, 9728JT, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Vlasis Oikonomou

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  1. Niki-Artemis Spyridaki
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  2. Anastasia Ioannou
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Correspondence to Alexandros Flamos.

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Spyridaki, NA., Ioannou, A., Flamos, A. et al. An ex-post assessment of the regulation on the energy performance of buildings in Greece and the Netherlands—a cross-country comparison. Energy Efficiency 9, 261–279 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-015-9363-1

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