EPBD 2024/1275: A Change of Standard, Not a Technical Update

Directive (EU) 2024/1275 on the energy performance of buildings entered into force on 28 May 2024, replacing the framework of Directive 2010/31/EU. The central element: the definition of a new mandatory minimum standard for new buildings — the zero-emission building (ZEB). It is not an aspirational level or a voluntary standard — it is the new legal minimum for any new building constructed after 1 January 2030. Buildings account for around 40% of the EU's final energy consumption and 36% of energy-related CO2 emissions.

Technical Definition of a ZEB

A ZEB must simultaneously meet the following requirements:

  • primary energy consumption below a nationally defined ceiling;
  • energy consumption sourced entirely from renewables (on-site or from the grid with guarantees of origin);
  • no fossil fuels at the point of use (gas boilers are excluded as primary systems).

New buildings must be solar-ready, EV-ready and equipped with BMS systems capable of responding to smart-grid signals.

A Calendar with Firm Deadlines

  • 1 January 2025: Elimination of financial incentives for boilers running exclusively on fossil fuels.
  • 29 May 2026: Deadline for transposing the Directive into national legislation.
  • 31 December 2026: Mandatory solar installation for new large-floor-area public and commercial buildings.
  • 1 January 2028: ZEB standard mandatory for new buildings owned by public authorities.
  • 31 December 2029: Mandatory solar installation for new residential buildings.
  • 1 January 2030: ZEB standard mandatory for ALL new buildings.

Romania: The Gap Between the European Obligation and the National Legislative Framework

Law no. 372/2005 on the energy performance of buildings — the current Romanian legislative basis — does not require the installation of photovoltaic systems or heat pumps for new residential buildings. Transposition of EPBD 2024/1275 was required by May 2026. In the absence of national technical norms that translate the ZEB requirements into verifiable limit values at the permitting stage, investors and designers operate in an unclear regulatory zone — with the risk of infringement procedures against the Romanian state.

Implications for the Photovoltaic and Installations Market

The EPBD 2024/1275 timeline is, de facto, a program for creating structural demand for building-integrated photovoltaic systems (BIPV), heat pumps, residential storage systems and BMS solutions. Every new building permitted after 2030 will have to be a ZEB — which turns PV and storage from an option into a mandatory design component. The condition: Romania must transpose and effectively enforce the Directive.