Page 37 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2019 publication
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Spring 2019 European Energy Innovation 37
ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS
only certain BACS are able to fulfill In commercial buildings, e.g.
these mandatory requirements, the BACS monitoring and automation
ones capable of delivering enhanced functions help maintenance
functionalities (in the view of eu.bac staff to keep availability, lower
easily identifiable with those at least consumption and ensure
level B class EN 15232). maximum comfort and
productivity of the workers.
These requirements are valid for all
non-residential buildings above the • BACS BOOST DIGITALIZATION
threshold, including in particular the An incentivizing policy framework
existing buildings. for BACS would:
One could say that it could be an a) create 200,000 and 300,000
ambitious challenge for the Member direct jobs and 3.7 million indirect
States to equip all the existing jobs by 2030;
non-residential buildings above the
threshold with advanced BACS by b) drive manufacturers’
2025, but the benefits that can be investments into R&D, innovation
achieved with these measures (and and manufacturing, in particular on
with the other ones mentioned in the smart digital technologies.
bullet points) are definitely worth the
efforts: • BACS TACKLE ENERGY POVERTY
• BACS ARE LOW CAPITAL • Incentivizing policies for BACS,
INVESTMENTS, WITH FAST facilitating the access to
PAYBACK affordable, reliable and sustainable
Investments in BACS are low energy will help these citizens to
capital investments (typically 30 escape energy poverty.
€/m2 in non-residential buildings
and 12 €/m2 in residential All these benefits were achieved only
buildings), with fast payback period in part, due to the existing market
(average 3 years) highly cost- and regulatory barriers at EU level.
effective, with benefits being 9 These amendments, together with
times higher than the costs. the future deployment of the Smart
Readiness Indicator, can finally deliver
• BACS DELIVER HIGH ENERGY these impressive results.
SAVINGS
The annual energy savings that The European Institutions showed
can be achieved by BACS are up political courage and vision, it is now
to 20.3% of all EU service sector up to the Member States to translate
building energy consumption, these words into actions, integrating
while in the residential sector this the current text with ambitious
figure goes up to 23.4% measures and fully implementing
the Directive in the best interests
• BACS IMPROVE COMFORT AND of people and businesses. The
HEALTH, REDUCE COSTS European Building Automation and
In residential buildings, e.g. Controls industry is fully committed
automatic room temperature in providing its technical expertise in
controls complement metering implementing the Directive and will
and billing information; in their soon publish its Guidelines on the
absence, citizens would know how text, providing Member States and
much they spend, but remaining Stakeholders with concrete, detailed
largely unable to take effective suggestions on how to ensure a
action, to reduce costs but also smooth and effective transposition
improve health and comfort. and implementation. l
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