Implementation of Article 8 of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

European Council Directive 2002/91/EC, known as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), stipulates requirements for regular inspection of oil, gas and solid fuel boilers. In addition, there has to be an inspection of the whole heating installation where boilers are more than 15 years old.

Article 8 introduces a requirement either for a regular boiler inspection (Option A) or provision of advice (Option B) that need not include actual inspection but must achieve an overall impact equivalent to Option (A). The impact of Option A relative to Option B rests on the extent to which installation-specific advice given in an inspection report is more persuasive than general advice. Member States who choose to implement Option (B) must report to the Commission every two years with evidence that advice given has achieved as much impact as Option (A) would have done.

Neither option places any obligation on the owners of boilers and heating systems to react to the inspection report or advice. It is, however, in the interests of owners to follow advice given as considerable energy savings may be achievable by alterations to the heating plant (cleaning, servicing, adjustment of controls, etc) or through boiler replacement.  

DEFRA convened a consultation group to evaluate ways of implementing Article 8 in the UK. The group identified various 'sub-options' within Options (A) and (B). The costs and benefits of the sub-options are being analysed by BRE in a preliminary Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA). The final report is almost complete, though not yet released, and DEFRA is shortly to decide which option and sub-option to adopt. At present it seems likely that 'advice' will be chosen rather than 'inspection'.

A European standard on boiler inspection is being prepared to support Article 8 of the EPBD (see "What is happening in the standards arena?" ). The sub-group of the CEN Technical Committee has considered what inspection should consist of: at its simplest, it may be no more than identifying the age, type and make of boiler and looking up its original efficiency in a database. But inspection may go further and include on-site testing, measurements and adjustments. It is likely therefore, that the standard will allow for all these options and classify them, so that Member States will be able to decide which class of inspection to choose in different circumstances. BRE has contributed to the standards writing process by drafting the simplest of the inspection classes and expects this to be the most cost-effective option for smaller boilers.

What is happening in the standards arena?

The EU has asked CEN (the European Standards organisation) to produce a number of new European standards to support different parts of the EPBD. All these are being written by relevant technical committees, much more rapidly than usual. The "fast track" for development of the new standards requires a first draft in March 2004, a second draft in June, and third draft in October. Final drafts by the committees must be produced by December 2004, and these will be issued by CEN for public enquiry in March 2005.