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Energy, Climate change, Environment
Energy

Public buildings

EU countries must renovate 3% of buildings owned by public bodies every year to upgrade their energy performance.

Public buildings and social infrastructure are one of the focus areas of the Renovation Wave strategy. They can spearhead the renovation wave by serving as a role model and reference point for the industrialisation of construction, showing the immediately visible co-benefits to the public.

The revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EU/2023/1791) extends the obligation to renovate 3% of central government buildings to all public buildings, at local, regional and national level which have a total useful floor area of more than 250 m2. EU countries should renovate the buildings to the new nearly zero-energy building or zero-emission building standard.

In addition, to underline the exemplary role to be played by the public sector, the revised directive has a new annual energy consumption reduction target of 1.9% for the public sector. 

©AdobeStock/Andrei Nekrassov

The renovation of public buildings (residential or non-residential) also contributes to the achievement of the goals established under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The Amended Directive (EU/2024/1275) requires EU countries to develop National Building Renovation Plans, which must include policies and actions to target all public buildings.

Energy savings requirements

The Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU), amended in 2018, sets out energy savings requirements for central government buildings in all EU countries. On a yearly basis, they are required to renovate at least 3% of the total floor area of buildings owned and occupied by central government. These rules remain valid in each EU country until the revised Directive EU/2023/1791 has been transposed into national law, which should take place by 11 October 2025.

Non-residential buildings owned by public bodies are also subject to the minimum energy performance standards established under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which should be transposed by 28 May 2026.

As an alternative to renovation, countries may opt for an approach which results in at least an equivalent amount of energy savings. This may include measures such as behavioural changes, such as turning off the lights or shutting down equipment when leaving the office, or deep renovations that go beyond minimum energy performance requirements. In this case, the total floor area renovated in central government buildings annually may be less than 3%, but equivalent energy savings in buildings must be achieved. These alternative measures are part of the National Energy and Climate Plans.

Central government building inventories

By 11 October 2025, EU countries will have to establish and make publicly available an inventory of buildings that are covered by these rules and update it at least every 2 years.

To fulfil the requirements of the 2012 directive, some EU countries (listed below) have prepared public inventories of all central government buildings with a total useful floor area of over 500 m2.