Most building managers, both public and private, face a very big challenge to make their building stock more sustainable to meet regulatory requirements.
For example, by 2030 (2028 for government buildings), all non-residential buildings must have an energy performance certificate (EPC NR) that demonstrates at least an EPC label E, which is equivalent to 5% renewable energy.
Step by step, this requirement will be raised in order to meet the targets.
These requirements will only be met by thinking radically about the energy consumption of our buildings. Each of the following aspects is indispensable:
* How can the building's energy consumption be greatly reduced?
* How to move toward completely fossil-free heating?
* How can local renewable energy be maximally integrated?
* How can energy consumption be kept low?
This in each case with sufficient attention to building operation, user comfort and a realistic phasing that is workable for the building owner and building users.
All regions in Belgium, influenced by Europe, are striving to achieve a carbon-neutral building stock by 2050, with an exemplary role for government and public buildings.
The various governments are therefore establishing frameworks to follow up on these objectives. In Flanders, for example, the energy performance certificate for non-residential buildings (EPC NR) was created. Today, all government buildings and public buildings (care institutions, public institutions such as museums, office buildings, educational and research institutions, etc.) and all non-public buildings larger than 1,000 m² (e.g. office buildings) must already have such an EPC, regardless of whether they are sold or leased. As of 2026, it will become mandatory for all non-residential buildings.
Among other things, the EPC gives each building an energy label based on how much of the energy consumed is produced locally renewable, from label X (undetermined) over label G (no renewable energy) to label A (100% of the energy consumed is produced locally renewable). A very important difference with the residential EPC framework is that the EPC label is based on actual measurements and not a mere theoretical calculation. It is therefore not sufficient to make one-time investments. Monitoring energy consumption is at least as important.
By 2030 (2028 for government buildings), all buildings must have a new EPC NR that demonstrates achievement of at least an EPC label E, equivalent to 5% renewable energy. Step by step, this requirement will be raised to meet the targets.
Requirements have also been imposed in Brussels, linked to the EPB certificate.
In an energy master plan study, we work with the building owner to find the answers to questions about the path to a fossil-free building stock. We do this supported by various energetic, technical and financial analyses.
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Indeed, each of the sub-questions will have to be answered differently depending on the current situation, context and functions of the building or site. For example, there are major differences between the approach for a large historic site in the countryside, for a hospital on the edge of town with expansion plans, or for an office building in a dense urban environment.
When creating an energy master plan, we typically look at the following steps, starting from the needs of the building or site, the building owner or manager:
Step 1Overview of current energy consumption and the various energy flows of the building or site: where does the consumed energy flow today?
Step 2Overview of expected future energy consumption taking into account any existing expansion, remodeling and/or already known renovation plans
Step 3Overview of applicable energy laws and obligations and what this means for the building or site
Step 4Preparation of a set of improvement proposals, according to some scenarios:
- Improve the building envelope and/or heat output with the aim of reducing energy consumption and preparing buildings for fossil-free heat production
- Saving energy by optimizing control
- Energy efficiency measures on the technical installations
- Fossil-free heat production
- Maximum integration of renewable energy
Step 5Calculating the scenarios technically, energetically and financially
Step 6Evaluate the scenarios and estimate the impact on the energy label
Step 7Preparation of a phasing proposal in line with the tightening path of commitments and preparation of investment table
Step 8If desired, further technical refinement of the preferred scenario
Step 9If desired, support further realization such as grant assistance, support for appointing an ESCO, monitoring energy consumption,...
We always look for local opportunities that can contribute to achieving the goals, such as local renewable energy sources and nearby interconnection projects.
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The Bijloke site in Ghent is a patchwork of very valuable historic buildings with diverse functions and ages. The site includes Music Center De Bijloke in the 13th century hospital, the city museum STAM in the 14th century abbey buildings and the 17th century monastery building, the KASK and Conservatory in the historic buildings of the old city hospital from the 19th century,... However, due to the high age of the buildings, energy consumption is very high. Moreover, today there is a very outdated shared heating system on the site. The challenge is to address site without compromising the heritage value and preserve the unique historical atmosphere.
In 2023-2024, Ingenium conducted an energy master plan study for this beautiful and special site on behalf of the City of Ghent and HOGENT.
The objective of this study was to establish a long-term vision and energy concept and a phased investment plan for the site: aiming for a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, fossil-free heating, improved indoor comfort, increased renewable energy production, and preparing the buildings for the next 50 years.
During this process, a long-term goal was established based on the technical, energetic, financial and spatial calculation of a number of scenarios, with intermediate steps to meet short-term legal obligations such as the EPC NR energy label, mandatory PV installations, and renovation obligations. This always in close consultation with the city of Ghent and the HOGENT, the managers and users of the site and the urban services involved.
An important step of this energy master plan study for the Bijloke site was to map the possibilities for fossil-free heating, a real challenge for this site. It is a balancing act between building interventions that respect heritage value and heat output (radiators, underfloor heating, convectors) in order to achieve acceptable water temperatures for heat pumps. Fossil-free heating also means on the one hand a trade-off between various heat sources for the heat pumps and on the other hand the trade-off between heat production per building or for the whole site. For example, the potential of combinations for shallow geothermal (not easy in an archaeologically rich area), sewage heat, aquathermal and outdoor air was sought.
Based on the energy master plan study, the city and HOGENT are now looking at the practical steps to do the first phase of investment, with significant impact on the EPC-NR label.
The city of Bruges has a very large and diverse building heritage. These include schools, museums, administrative buildings, heritage buildings and sports infrastructure. The city faces the particularly daunting task of making each of these buildings thoroughly sustainable.
To give the city insight into this challenge, the project "Route Plan Climate Neutral City Buildings" was launched. An energy performance certificate for non-residential buildings (EPC-NR) was prepared for 67 buildings and sites. A comprehensive analysis was then conducted for each of these buildings to see what is needed for a climate-neutral building heritage. The route plan included various energy-saving measures for each building or cluster of buildings, such as insulating the various building envelopes, installing a heat pump, connecting to a heat network, adjusting the ventilation, adjusting the heat emission elements such as radiators, installing solar panels, relighting, control-technical optimization, etc., each with their investment cost, energy savings and CO2 reduction. Each building was checked for compliance with the imposed legal requirements.
In this way, the city has insight into following elements, both at the building or site level and at the building heritage level:
- The necessary investments and investment costs to achieve a climate-neutral urban patrimony
- Prioritization of investments
- The impact on the energy label (EPC-NR) of each of the calculated energy conservation measures
- The impact on energy consumption of each of the calculated energy conservation measures
- The impact on energy bills of each of the energy savings measures calculated
- The impact on total CO2 emissions from the building portfolio
- Visualization of the CRREM (Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor) curve or other sustainability targets
All this accumulated data was visualized in a dynamic environment. This environment allows the city to make changes to the data. For example, the city can change the implementation period of a particular measure, evaluate the implemented measures, update the energy consumption per building annually, add measures itself,... In this way, the roadmap is a working tool for the city to stay "on track" with the goals and align with the internal strategic objectives.
Want to learn more about how to meet EPC requirements for non-residential buildings? We'll help you with a detailed energy master plan.
Contact our expert Joris Dedecker: joris.dedecker@ingenium.be - 050 40 45 30.
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