Legislation to foment the use of renewable energies and solar thermal energy in building construction: The case of Spain - Solar Energy Sciences and Engineering Applications - page 643

Legislation to foment the use of
renewable energies and solar thermal
energy in building construction:
The case of Spain
Javier Ordoñez
Department of Civil Engineering, Higher Technical College of Civil Engineering,
University of Granada, Granada, Spain
20.1 INTRODUCTION
In the European Union (EU), buildings consume 40% of the total energy produced. Of
this amount, 69% is used for heating and cooling systems as well as for domestic hot
water. The EU has issued a series of directives the objectives of which are to enhance
energy efficiency in buildings and to foment the use of renewable energies.
In this regard, Directive 2002/91/EC of the European Parliament and of the Coun-
cil of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of buildings states that buyers
or tenants of buildings must be provided with an energy performance certificate. The
energy performance in buildings can be enhanced by improving building materials to
make them more energy efficient and/or by eliminating existing obstacles to the use of
thermal installations with renewable energies.
Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April
2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources contemplates a
series of targets for renewable energies that must be achieved by 2020 in each of the
member states of the EU. For example, in Spain it is estimated that the contribution of
renewable energies to the total energy consumption will increase from 8.7% in 2005
to 20% in 2020.
This chapter analyses the impact of these EU directives, which have been imple-
mented in Spain, and which have made the use of solar thermal energy a reality in
the building construction sector. This legislation is reflected in the development of a
regulatory framework as well as in the creation of government economic incentives or
subsidies for the production and use of this type of energy.
20.2 EUROPEAN REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR RENEWABLE
ENERGY SOURCES INTHE CONTEXT OF THE ENERGY
PERFORMANCE OF BUILDINGS
Renewable energy sources are defined as renewable non-fossil energy sources (wind,
solar, geothermal, wave, tidal, hydropower, biomass, landfill gas, sewage treatment
plant gas, and biogases) ( Directive 2003/54/EC ) 1 . Council Directive 93/76/EEC of 13
1 Directive 2003/54/EC . Article 2.