Barriers and challenges of the recommendation list of measures under the EPBD scheme: A critical review

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) has an especial feature for existing buildings, a Recommendation List of Measures (RLM) designed to improve the energy performance of these buildings. This feature has not been properly studied by researchers or policymakers, in spite of being one of the main tools that can encourage building owners to perform renovation activities. Considering the scarce research focusing on the recommendations list of measures, more information is needed in order to identify weaknesses, barriers and improvements of this tool. This is especially important since the European commitment to reduce their emissions in 2020 are far from reaching the proposed goals, mainly becouse of the low renovation rate. This critical review is based on the current literature mainly from reports delivered by the Commission and academic research. The study focuses on the requirement set by the directive, its current performance, barriers and improvements that can be made to take this tool to a level that can be effectively used by policymakers, certifiers and owners. The upgrade of the recommendation list of measure should strengthen their calculation methods and procedure from both local authorities and the Commission. This should be in line with the certifiers’ needs in order to do relevant work, including proper training, mandatory field inspections and tools. Lastly, financial policies and information should be implemented to accompany the certificate, ensuring that building owners interested in renovation have assistance and financial facilities or easy access to relevant information on this matter. The main conclusion of this study reveals that the regulatory framework could use some strictness in order to avoid ‘just enough’ implementations. Ambiguous definitions and too flexible obligations should be revised, especially cost-effectiveness and training for the certifiers. Attention on how to deliver the information to building owners should be increased, allowing them to understand the results, its implications and how to concretize renovation work through financial mechanisms, thus increasing the reliability of the EPC and the RLM.