Empowering Europe’s building sector leaders

On July 4-5, 2024, HEP-ESCO conducted an "Energy Managers Course" for 15 participants from five major energy companies. The course focused on enhancing expertise in energy management and efficiency, covering EU energy reduction goals, Croatian legislation, and the "energy efficiency first" principle. Participants learned about the ESCO Monitor system, performance measurement protocols, and maintenance efficiency standards. Sandra Maganje also introduced the nZEBRA project and its future intensive course.

The concept of nearly Zero-Energy Building (nZEB) was introduced in the EPBD recast in 2010 (EPBD/2010/31/EU). Article 2 of the recast directive establishes what a nZEB is: a building with “a very high energy performance with the nearly zero or very low amount of energy required covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources, including energy from renewable sources produced on-site or nearby”.

To achieve sustainability in the built environment through energy efficiency, we must decarbonise the building sector by using low-carbon materials and ensuring proper insulation. Additionally, we need flexible energy systems for heating and hot water that can adapt to various energy sources, such as district heating from renewables and industrial excess heat, along with energy-efficient appliances and lighting to create nearly zero-energy buildings.