Estonia to move up nearly zero-energy building requirement by one year
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications is planning on moving up the effective date of the requirement for new buildings erected in Estonia to be nearly zero-energy by one year, which means it would apply to building permits issued beginning in 2020 already.
Under the currently valid regulation, the nearly zero-energy requirement would apply to buildings whose construction permits are issued after Dec. 31, 2020. The plan is now to move the effective date forward by one year, requiring buildings completed after Dec. 31, 2020 to comply with the requirement.
The underlying idea is that a certain amount of time must be left for the construction of buildings not meeting the nearly zero-energy requirement after a permit for the construction of such a building has already been issued, which will be possible until the end of December 2019.
Developers are required to design their new buildings to meet the nearly zero-energy requirement if it can be assumed that a building in question will be completed after Dec. 31, 2020, it stands in the explanatory letter accompanying the proposal to amend the valid regulation.
According to the valid EU directive, member states must ensure that all newly constructed buildings are nearly zero-energy buildings by Dec. 31, 2020, and that all new buildings used and owned by state institutions must comply with the same requirement by Dec. 31, 2018.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS