New real estate standards
From 1 January 2015, every planning permission for the construction or fundamental renovation of an office building will have to comply with the passive standard. A derogation scheme will also be put in place in the event that the configuration of the building proves unfavourable.
For OFFICES, new buildings or demolition / rebuilding
The following EPB (energy performance of buildings) standards to fulfil are:
- A net heating need lower or equal to 15kWh per square meter and per year (5 times less than the energy consumption of a classic office building)
- A net cooling system lower or equal to 15 kWh per square meter and per year (5 times less than the energy consumption of a classic office building)
- A primary energy consumption for heating, cooling, lighting and electrical control gear lower or equal to (95-2,5*min (; 4)) kWh per square meter and per year, C being defined as the compactness, i.e., the relation between the volume protected and the heat loss surface (5 times less than the traditional energy consumption of a classic office building)
- An overheating temperature that can only be of more than 25°C during 5% of the period of use
For every planning permission introduced after 1 January 2018, additional requirements will be imposed: respecting an air-tightness under 50 PA lower or equal to 0,6 volumes per hour.
When the configuration of the tertiary building is unfavourable for instance when it does not enjoy much sunlight (shade, poor exposure) and/or an unfavourable compactness, an automatic derogation arrangement will be put in place. The requirements to fulfil will be the following:
A net heating need lower or equal to X kWh per square meter and per year, whereby net heating need X is calculated using:
- A weighted average of 0,12 kWh/square meter for opaque walls
- A weighted average of 0,85 kWh/square meter for all windows and doors
- Air tightness under 50 Pa equal to:
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| 1 vol per hour | 0.8 vol per hour | 0.7 vol per hour | 0.6 vol per hour |
- A ventilation system with a default performance equal to 75% and a correct setting up of the installation (mheat, sec I = 1)
- Any other parameter to enter is realistic compared with the case studied
A primary energy consumption for heating, cooling, lighting and electrical control gear lower or equal to (95-2,5* min (C ; 4)) + 1,2* (X-15) kWh per square meter and per year, C being defined as the compactness, i.e., the relation between the surface protected and the heat loss surface.
For OFFICES, fundamental renovation
In the event of renovation works affecting at least 75% of the heat loss surface of the building, including the replacement of all the technical installations, the requirements to fulfil are the same as for new tertiary, through the application of a scope of flexibility of 20% (except for the risk of overheating). This 20% scope of flexibility also applies to the requirements of the above-mentioned derogation arrangements.
| Brussels region | |||
| Today | From 2 July 2011 | From 31 December 2005 | |
| prog PEB | prog PEB | prog ? | |
| Level E | E90 offices and services | E75 offices and services | passif offices and services, and very low energy for renovation |
| Primary energy | |||
| Level K | K45 offices and services, education | ||
| Wallonia region | |||||
| Today | From 1 September 2011 | From 2014 | From 2017 | From 2019 | |
| Legal EPB framework | EPB programme | EPB programme | Programme? | Programme? | Programme? |
| Level E | Ew < 100 Office buildings and education buildings | Ew < 80 Office buildings | Low energy | Passive | Zero energy |
| Primary energy | Espec 170kwh/m2.year | Espec 130kwh/m2.year ou 468 MJ/m2 | |||
| niveau K | K45 offices and services K55 Industrial buildings | ||||
| Flemish region | ||||
| Today | From 2012 | From 2014 | From 2019 | |
| Legal EPB framework | EPB programme | EPB programme | EPB programme | Programme? |
| Level E | E100 office buildings and education building | E70* E70* *not yet voted | E60* E70* *not yet voted | Almost zero energy* |
| Primary energy | Ep max 70 kWh/m2.year | |||
| Level K | K45 offices and services K55 Industrial buildings | K40* *not yet voted | ||
- 15 kWh/square meter per year in heating needs
- 45 kWh/square meter per year in maximum primary energy
- 0,6 vol/h for airtightness
- 5% maximum overheating per year
5 criteria for tertiary
- 15 kWh/square meter per year in heating need
- 15 kWh/square meter per year in cooling need
- 0,6 vol/h for airtightness
- 5% maximum overheating acceptable per year (in 15 251)
