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Trends This article originally appeared in the March/April 2009
issue of Home Energy Magazine. March 09, 2009 Denmark is taking
steps to meet, and then exceed, the European Union's Energy
Performance of Buildings Directive for single-family homes.
Buildings account for about 40% of the total primary energy
consumption in Europe. To reduce this share, the European
Commission has issued a directive on the Energy Performance of
Buildings, the EPBD (2002/91/EC). In addition to improving the
overall energy efficiency of new buildings, the EPBD targets
large existing buildings for improvement whenever the buildings
undergo significant renovation. The EPBD directive came into
force in 2002 and should have been implemented in the
legislation of member states in 2006. Unfortunately, many member
states have not yet managed to comply. An important aim of the
directive is to improve the overall energy efficiency of new
buildings. The directive requires a methodo