A recent assessment, published by Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) under the EPBD.wise project, examines the coherence between the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the wider Fit for 55 framework, highlighting the need for coordinated implementation across Member States. The report notes that buildings remain central to achieving the EU’s climate objectives, given their potential to reduce emissions, and underscores the importance of integrated planning, reliable data systems and renovation strategies that support long‑term decarbonisation.

The analysis outlines how the Energy Efficiency Directive requires municipalities above 45,000 inhabitants to prepare local heating and cooling plans, mapping demand and identifying sustainable alternatives to fossil‑fuel systems. It also recalls that efficient district heating and cooling must progressively increase the share of renewable energy, reaching full decarbonisation by 2050. Complementary EPBD provisions restrict financial incentives for standalone fossil‑fuel boilers from 2025, while renovation passports and national renovation plans must include information on the phase‑out of fossil fuels and available clean‑heating options.

The report further highlights the role of renewable energy deployment in buildings, supported by the Renewable Energy Directive’s benchmark of 49% renewables in the sector by 2030 and the EPBD’s solar mandate. It also notes the contribution of the Social Climate Fund, which supports vulnerable households through measures that include electrification of heating and cooling and access to efficient systems.