The European Commission has published the ANNEX to the Commission Notice, guiding new or substantially modified provisions introduced in the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU)  2024/1275. Among the elements addressed is the guidance on renovation passports, set out in Article 12 and Annex VIII, which is intended to support the decarbonisation of the EU’s building stock.

The Directive requires all Member States to establish a Building Renovation Passport scheme by 29 May 2026. These passports serve as structured roadmaps to guide owners through successive renovation steps designed to improve a building’s energy performance and contribute to the EU’s 2050 zero-emission target.

Renovation passports must include technical and performance data, including current energy performance, a roadmap of renovation stages, minimum national energy standards, schedules for phasing out fossil-fuel heating systems, estimated energy savings, projected greenhouse gas reductions, and energy cost savings.

Passports should also provide information on connections to district heating/cooling, renewable energy contribution, construction product circularity, and available funding and advisory services. Member States may include optional components such as detailed technology descriptions, costs, and timing.

The Commission advises that digital tools be employed for the preparation and updating of renovation passports. These passports should be provided in machine-readable format and, where available, integrated with national energy performance databases or digital building logbooks.

The guidance aims to support consistent implementation across Member States and facilitate investment in energy renovation of buildings, which account for a substantial share of EU energy consumption and emissions.