Building Directive. They asked Poles about the EU plan for thermal modernization. Here’s the result

The study “Poles’ attitude towards thermal modernization” commissioned by ING Bank Śląski shows that Poles have low knowledge of the requirements arising from the EU Directive on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD), also known as the “Buildings Directive”.

Poles are afraid of thermal modernization. They have no knowledge and are afraid of the costs

ING BSK conducted a survey on a group of apartment and house owners to check their attitude towards thermal modernization and knowledge about the Building Directive. The study shows that 62 percent respondents rate their knowledge about thermal modernization as low, although most of them have already heard this term. Only 3% have heard about the EPDB directive itself. property owners.

– The knowledge gap, despite the importance of the topic and its real consequences, results from the lack of reliable sources of information for decision-making. Currently, they are the Internet (68%) or friends (39%), comments Stanisław Kijowski, Strategy Director at ING Bank Śląski.

Poles and thermal modernization. ING Bank Śląski study Press materials

The study shows that 53 percent Poles would like to know more about the Building Directive, 33%. planning thermal modernization, 27 percent rejects it, and 40 percent there is no opinion on this topic yet. The main reasons for rejecting thermal modernization are:

• High costs, difficult to raise funds – 63%.
• It is not entirely clear whether it will be worth it or whether it will actually bring savings – 60%.
• I am waiting for more favorable support from public funds – national or EU – 48%.
• I would like to, but I do not have such technical capabilities – 43%.

The lack of knowledge can be seen in the example of changes in house and apartment prices

Among the negative effects of the Building Directive, more than half of respondents expect an increase in the prices of apartments available on the market (66%) or difficulties in the process of obtaining consent to build a house (52%). The lack of knowledge about the assumptions behind thermal modernization and the introduced directive is clearly visible in the example of the expected change in prices of apartments and houses – emphasize experts from ING.

Only one third of Poles expect that the market value of buildings that do not meet the requirements may be lower because they will require thermal modernization by new owners. When it comes to Poles’ attitude towards thermal modernization solutions, the prevailing opinion is that these are investments that will benefit only a few, the wealthiest, and the costs themselves will probably never be recovered. People who plan thermal modernization (33 percent of respondents) are dominated by people with household income above PLN 10,000. zloty.

Home owners think about such investments more often, which may be due to the fact that the offer of available solutions is much greater for them than for residents of multi-family houses or apartment blocks. – Buildings are responsible for over one third of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU, of which 60%. emit residential buildings. Modernizing existing buildings based on already available technologies can help reduce emissions by 60-90%. and contribute to reducing energy expenses by up to half – says Andrzej Sowa, director of ING responsible for loans and insurance for clients.

Building Directive and thermal modernization. What is it about?

– EPBD requirements regarding, among others, the introduction of energy classes of buildings in the coming years or the zero-emission nature of new buildings and the ban on installing stand-alone boilers using fossil fuels from 2030 are expected to lead to improved energy efficiency of buildings. Combined with the implementation of the ETS2 system in buildings and transport from 2027-28, the burning of coal or gas in buildings will be subject to an emission fee, which should encourage thermal modernization investments and switching to more ecological solutions – comments Leszek Kąsek, senior economist at the Analyzes Office Macroeconomics ING BSK. He adds that the costs of using apartments or houses using fossil fuels as a heating source will increase in the next 3-5 years. – This may lead to an increase in the prices of apartments with the highest energy performance and probably a decrease in the prices of energy vampire buildings – he believes.

In March this year. This is one of the key elements of the Green Deal. Poland and other member states will have to translate the EU directive into national law. New EU law requires all new buildings to be zero-emission by 2030. This means that a high standard of energy efficiency will be required – there will be no room for heating with fossil fuels such as coal or gas. For public buildings, this requirement will come into force in 2028.

Also from 2030, it will be mandatory to install photovoltaic panels on house roofs. However, on one condition – if it is “technically and economically possible”. In addition, the regulations provide for exceptions for agricultural and historic buildings, and EU countries will also be able to decide to exclude churches and temporary structures from the new requirements. It will also be possible to apply exceptions to the minimum energy requirements in the event of a particularly difficult situation of residents and when renovation would become unprofitable.