To achieve the reduction of carbon emissions in the building sector, policymakers should be provided with reliable and updated data to facilitate monitoring and periodic assessment of the effectiveness of building-related policies and strategies.
The lack of reliable and high-quality data of the building sector, the disparities regarding the type and quality of data among Member States and the lack of standard approaches and templates for data collection, management and reporting create an urgent need for more efficient and well-established data procedures through the EU.
The recast of the EPBD introduces key provisions for the promotion of a more reliable and transparent data framework in the EU.
The availability of reliable building data is essential for tracking the energy performance of the building sector and assessing policy effectiveness. Recognizing this need, the revised EPBD, adopted in May 2024, mandates the creation of national databases for the energy performance of buildings in all EU Member States.
These national databases are required to include information on individual buildings and aggregate data on the overall performance of the national building stock. Furthermore, Member States must regularly transfer this data to the EU Building Stock Observatory, an initiative of the European Commission which provides insights into the implementation of energy policies at the EU level.
OBSERVE seeks to address the need for a systematic method of gathering and aggregating quality data by developing innovative data collection methodologies and strategies.
The project will evaluate the data collection procedures and databases established at both national and European levels to identify best practices and malfunctions.
OBSERVE is designed to support EU Member States in meeting these requirements by:
OBSERVE aims to guide national authorities develop national Building Stock Observatories by developing and standardising protocols for the systematic collection and aggregation of building-related data, optimising data collection methods and streamlining the coordination of all relevant bodies.
OBSERVE will also enhance synergies and interaction between several relevant EU and national initiatives and projects. Special attention will be given to establish cooperation with the overarching EU Building Stock Observatory.
OBSERVE will directly support six Member States (Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy and Spain) and further spread good practices and governance models to other EU countries.
OBSERVE’s collaborative effort is expected to enhance the transparency and utility of building data, thereby assisting national authorities to better implement energy and climate policies towards 2030 and support more informed policy and decision-making in the realm of building energy efficiency and regulation compliance.
By fostering collaboration among Member States and aligning national databases with the EU Building Stock Observatory, OBSERVE aims to create a cohesive framework for tracking and improving the energy efficiency of Europe’s building stock.
This supports the EU’s broader climate and energy goals, contributing to a systematic approach to achieving a sustainable built environment.
Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy Stichting - Coordinator - NETHERLANDS
University of Piraeus Research Center - GREECE
Accademia Europea di Bolzano - ITALY
CYPRUS
FRANCE
EPB Center - NETHERLANDS
Agenzia Nazionale Per Le Nuove Tecnologie, L'Energia e lo Sviluppo economico Sostenibile - ITALY
Energetski Institut Hrvoje Pozar - CROATIA
Centro de Investigaciones Energeticas Medioambientales y Tecnologicas - SPAIN
Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas - SPAIN
Explore all the public materials and deliverables created within the OBSERVE project.
The OBSERVE project aims to assist EU Member States in establishing national building stock observatories in compliance with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
observe@r2msolution.com
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
