Lighting and the energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD)

Directive 2002/91/EC first introduced the EPBD over twenty years ago, in 2002. In its initial iteration, the EPBD established a common framework for calculating a building’s energy performance. Key requirements included energy performance certificates, regular inspection of heating and cooling systems, and minimum performance standards for major renovations. It also promoted cost-effective improvements for new and existing buildings.

In 2010, a recast EPBD (Directive 2010/31/EU) reinforced these measures and introduced the concept of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB), mandatory for new public buildings by 2019 and all new buildings by 2021. A further revision in 2018 aligned the directive with the EU’s Clean Energy for All Europeans Package, emphasizing long-term renovation strategies, smart technologies, and the integration of renewable energy.

The EU adopted the latest revision, which is part of the EU Green Deal and Fit for 55 legislation package, in 2024. This new revision strengthens minimum energy performance standards, mandates digital building logbooks, and sets clear timelines for decarbonizing the building stock by 2050.

For the lighting sector, the 2024 revision of the EPBD represents a key driver of the demand for energy-efficient, connected, and future-ready lighting solutions. The revised EPBD places significant emphasis on energy-efficient lighting as a vital component of building decarbonization, making it clear that sustainability ambitions in general and net-zero ambitions in particular cannot be achieved without it. As such, understanding the lighting-related provisions of the EPBD is crucial for building and lighting designers, contractors, specifiers, and other lighting professionals who serve the commercial building segment.

Among the most important of these provisions are the ones relating to smart readiness and automation. The revised directive promotes the deployment of building automation and control systems (BACS), including lighting automation. Additionally, smart lighting that adapts to occupancy and daylight availability can improve a building’s smart readiness indicator (SRI) score, incentivizing dynamic lighting solutions with sensor networks.

Following is a list of additional lighting-related provisions with which you ought to be familiar. Refer to the EPBD itself for more details on each.

Inclusion in energy performance calculation

• Lighting systems are now more explicitly included in the overall energy performance assessment of non-residential buildings
• Energy used for fixed lighting installations must be accounted for in calculations, prioritizing high-efficiency lighting for new builds and major renovations

Minimum energy performance standards (MEPS)

• Member states must implement MEPS for existing non-residential buildings, which indirectly targets outdated and inefficient lighting systems for upgrade
• Lighting retrofits are essential for compliance, encouraging LED conversions and adoption of connected lighting systems

Renovation requirements and public sector leadership

• Public buildings are required to undergo more rapid and ambitious renovation schedules
• Lighting upgrades—including daylight harvesting, presence detection, and high-efficacy luminaires—are recommended as low-hanging fruit for energy performance improvements

Digital building logbooks and lighting data

• Member states must establish digital building logbooks to document lighting system specifications, control capabilities, and energy performance over time
• These logbooks open up new opportunities for lighting system monitoring, data-driven maintenance, and lifecycle optimization

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) considerations

• The revised directive highlights indoor environmental quality as a key dimension of building performance
• The revised EPBD recommends appropriate light levels, glare control, and circadian-friendly design to promote occupant well-being, encouraging holistic lighting design beyond energy savings

The revised EPBD underscores lighting’s dual role in cutting energy consumption and enhancing occupant well-being, setting the stage for broader adoption of high-performance, connected lighting systems across Europe.