ZeroCo2

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Years

Promotion of near zero CO2 emission buildings due to energy use

The project

It is estimated that buildings contribute as much as one third of total European Union greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through the use of fossil fuels and natural gas to cover heating, cooling and electricity needs of buildings.

To address energy and climate related issues, the European Commission (EC) has set the objectives of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 %, increasing the share of renewables in the EU’s energy mix to 20 % and achieving the 20 % energy efficiency target by 2020.

With Directive 2012 / 27 / & Directive 2010 / 31 Energy Performance of Buildings and Energy Efficiency produces a breakthrough in European policies. The objectives and tools of intervention and verification oblige member countries to immediately adopt a clear strategy for the improvement of the performances of the buildings.

The EU Directive proposes that after 2020 all new buildings must be zero energy buildings and those buildings will also be Near zero CO2 emission buildings due to energy use (NZCO2EB). Although there has been much recent focus on measures to reduce the emissions from new buildings, the existing building stock remains largely untouched and many refurbishment projects miss opportunities to reduce emissions and deliver low CO2 buildings.

Goals

Overall objective is to improve regional energy policies with regard to environmental sustainability and mitigation of climate change risk, with a special focus on greening the building sector through enhancement of various ecofriendly energy sources and technologies, stressing its importance as an incubator for new markets in the field of energy, technologies, services and business models.
Further goals:

To define the idea of zero CO2 emission buildings due to energy use and present the various benefits which result from these types of buildings.
To work on the combination of different technologies, which can be used in order to achieve abovementioned target.
To design common state-of-the-art policies, which will aim at promoting ZEROCO2 in local, regional, national and EU level.
Identify, share and transfer innovative methodologies, technologies, processes and good practices in developing and implementing Near zero CO2 emission buildings due to energy use policies, targeting new constructions or retrofitting existing buildings.
To present various financial tools in order to promote these types of buildings.