Impact of climate change on the energy performance of building envelopes and implications on energy regulations across Europe

This paper delves into the potential impact of a changing climate on the energy performance of European buildings. Research aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of current energy requirements focusing on the envelope, considering existing regulations in national policies.

The paper states that considering that buildings constructed today will be in use for the next 50–100 years, it is imperative to develop building design that are resilient to climate fluctuations. When investigating if current building regulations remain appropriate in future conditions, it is important to consider that current general refurbishment cycles are typically around 30–40 years, but those which lead to energy efficiency improvements occur at even longer intervals (60–80 years).