Guidance: Safeguarding Rights in the Transposition of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive
22 January 2026
The European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is the EU’s main legislative instrument to reduce emissions from the built environment. The EPBD significantly strengthens climate ambition through binding minimum energy performance standards, enhanced renovation planning, and measures to address energy poverty.
By the end of 2026, each Member State is required to transpose the Directive into national law. This transposition phase is critical in determining whether building decarbonisation delivers not only emissions reductions, but also fair, affordable, and socially inclusive outcomes. To help steer these national efforts, IHRB has developed new guidance offering practical, rights-based recommendations for policymakers across all EU Member States.
The guide sets out key recommendations across five priority areas:
- Housing rights: Cap rent increases via "housing cost neutrality," prioritise in-place renovations, and ensure affordable Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for low-income households.
- Labour rights: Enforce fair wages, limit subcontracting to a maximum of two tiers, and provide targeted green skills training for SMEs
- Financing mechanisms: Combine grants with pay-as-you-save schemes, establish guarantee funds for those without bank access, and prioritise funding for deep renovations
- Inclusion & governance: Co-develop plans with tenant and labour unions, establish inclusive, tailored "one-stop shops", and introduce majority-vote provisions for apartment renovations.
- Monitoring & access: Create an independent renovation ombudsperson, track social impact indicators like energy poverty and displacement, and launch multilingual outreach campaigns.
This guidance was authored by IHRB, with input from the International Union of Tenants and the European Federation of Building and Woodworkers.
