Fire Safe Europe
3 Apr 2023
In March, Fire Safe Europe signed a joint statement with 12 organisations working on fire, electrical, gas, and carbon monoxide (CO) safety regarding the revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
The statement calls on European institutions to incorporate the fire, electrical, gas and CO safety provisions proposed by the European Parliament into the final text of the revised EPBD. Indeed, the European Parliament’s report highlights the need to increase energy efficiency while improving the safety and health of European citizens, making the EU building stock more resilient and sustainable for the future.
The EPBD revision aims to decarbonise European buildings. However, the increasing use of renewable energies, new materials, and technologies running on electricity can pose a challenge to fire safety if not properly addressed. While electrification solutions can reduce the need for fossil fuels and improve energy efficiency, these innovations can also introduce new electrical loads that increase the risk of electrical fires if the electrical installation is not upgraded. Additionally, new construction materials may not be adequately considered by existing fire safety rules. Thus, if not properly addressed, fire, electrical, gas, and CO safety could become an obstacle to deploying decarbonisation solutions, leading to resistance and tragic accidents due to a lack of safety awareness among building owners and occupants.
The EPBD revision presents a significant opportunity to decarbonise European buildings and contribute to the global effort to address climate change. With the right solutions in place offered by the European Parliament’s report, we can boost the deployment of the EPBD decarbonisation solutions while ensuring appropriate safety to European citizens.
Below is the full joint statement.
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