Fire Safe Europe
9 Feb 2023
Today, the Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) Committee of the European Parliament approved the report of Rapporteur MEP Ciarán Cuffe to the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
Fire Safe Europe welcomes the ITRE report as a crucial opportunity to ensure the sustainable buildings of tomorrow. The report accounts for fire safety in the revision of the EPBD and will contribute to ensure a resilient European building stock.
In particular:
Member States shall ensure that new buildings adhere to fire safety standards as well as address the compliance of buildings undergoing major renovation to fire safety standards;
Member States shall encourage measures to ensure the fire safety of solar energy installations in buildings, including in combination with technical building systems such as domestic batteries or heat pumps for self-consumption;
The renovation passport shall comprise the bill of materials, construction products circularity as well as wider benefits related to safety such as fire, inter alia;
By 2025, the Commission shall publish guidelines specifying the standards and protocol to be recommended to national and local public authorities for fire safety in roofed car parks;
Member States shall put in place inspection schemes including digital tools to certify that the delivered construction and renovation works meet the designed energy performance and are compliant with fire safety requirements as laid down in by the building codes or equivalent regulations;
Member States shall ensure that guidance and training are made available for those responsible for implementing the EPBD Directive, and shall address fire safety, amongst others
;Member States shall inform the owners, tenants and facility managers of buildings of the different methods and practices that serve to enhance the energy and emission performance, fire, electrical, and seismic safety of a building.
Eugenio Quintieri, Managing Director of Fire Safe Europe, commented “The EPBD Revision pushes for an increased use of renewable energies, the use of new types of materials as well as new decarbonisation solutions/technologies. These new systems are fundamental to decarbonise European buildings but can constitute a serious challenge for fire safety if not addressed properly. Hence, we welcome the ITRE report as a crucial element to ensure that fire safety of buildings is duly integrated in our path to reduce carbon emissions”.
Next steps
The vote of the European Parliament plenary is scheduled on 12th March while trilogue negotiations amongst European institutions will soon start.
Fire Safe Europe calls the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission to approve the fire safety consideration of the ITRE report in the final text of the revision.
