Increasing the energy efficiency of buildings is one of the measures with long-term benefits on energy consumers, ensuring not only lower energy needs but also increased comfort. A home renovated or built to nZEB (“nearly zero energy building”) standards will consume significantly less energy than a regular home, with energy needs that can be more than twice as low. At the same time, the energy efficiency of buildings is essential for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, helping Romania to meet the climate objectives assumed as a member state of the European Union.

These aspects were presented by specialists present at the second edition of the conference “nZEB Standards – Energy Efficiency and Building Materials”, organized at the Palace of Parliament by Deputy Oana-Marciana Özmen, Secretary of the Committee on Industries and Services, in partnership with Efficient Romania, the largest private project of national interest dedicated to energy efficiency in buildings, carried out by the Energy Policy Group (EPG) with funding from the official sponsor OMV Petrom.

Thus, in an nZEB house, the energy requirement is up to 112 kWh / square meter (sqm) / year, while the final energy consumption for an ordinary house in Romania is between 150 and 400 kWh / sqm/year, over 60% of this total consumption being intended for home heating. At the same time, according to current legislation, in the case of an nZEB building, renewable energy sources must provide at least 30% of consumption.

Unclear standards

Although national legislation, aligned with European legislation, stipulates that the nZEB standard is mandatory for all new buildings or major renovated buildings from 31 December 2020, there is still not enough clarity on the new standard. However, progress is being made at both experts and the level of market understanding.

“I think that the market will be familiar with these standards and that we will soon see both in the residential sector and the public and commercial buildings new buildings, but also successful renovations to nZEB standards,” said Radu Dudău, EPG director and coordinator of the Efficient Romania project.

“Talking about nZEB standards is talking about buildings with almost zero energy consumption. At the same time, we are talking about environmentally friendly buildings and therefore the best quality building materials, which are also climate-friendly. We need to understand that if we build to nZEB standards, then the energy bills we are all talking about at the moment will be reduced. We need pilot projects to encourage the increase in the number of buildings renovated to nZEB standards. Last but not least, we need beneficiaries who understand their usefulness and who in turn have the ecological and decarbonizing behaviour that we all want”, said deputy Oana-Marciana Özmen, secretary of the Commission for Industries and Services.

“Without energy, the economy does not move. If we want upward economic growth and downward energy consumption, that is where energy efficiency comes into play. What we need to discuss: concrete steps for the implementation of all measures, reforms, so that energy efficiency does not remain on paper, to happen and thus contribute to a more sustainable and greener model of economic growth”, said Anca Dragu, president of the Romanian Senate.

“To eliminate carbon emissions, it is not enough to make this transition in terms of energy production, but we should reduce energy consumption, one way or another. Efficiency can be achieved in several ways – especially in the field of construction, by using certain special building materials or certain new technologies, which require as little energy as possible, if possible as close to zero as possible. Innovation, research, science must have their say,” said MP Sándor Bende, chairman of the Committee on Industries and Services.