On November 27, 2025, Energy Policy Group with support of Regional Energy Agency North and EnEffect, organized online International Conference on the introduction of MEPS for public buildings. International online conference on MEPS introduction was organized within REDESIGN project and brought together a distinguished group of experts whose knowledge and experience offered valuable perspectives on the future of building decarbonisation across Europe.
International Conference was held in the context of the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which sets the trajectory for reducing carbon emissions from the building sector and for increasing both the rate and depth of renovations. With the adoption of the revised Directive, the responsibility now lies with Member States to create the necessary frameworks that will enable large-scale building decarbonisation. This includes addressing long-standing barriers in financing, improving training systems, and attracting a greater number of skilled workers into the sector.
A central feature of the revised EPBD is the introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS). Public buildings are expected to lead by example in terms of both renovation quality and speed. Member States must ensure that 16% of the worst performing non-residential buildings comply with national MEPS by 2030, increasing to 26% by 2033. These objectives are projected to deliver some of the most substantial emission reductions across the building sector.
Beyond emissions and energy savings, well-designed MEPS have the potential to generate a broad spectrum of socio-economic benefits. When effectively implemented, the renovation of the worst-performing buildings can contribute not only to environmental improvements but also to social welfare, economic development, and the enhancement of public services. To fully realise these benefits, Member States will need to address barriers within the building sector while also recognising how MEPS interlink with other policy areas. The conference therefore explored these interdependencies within the context of MEPS for public buildings, focusing on ambition levels, expected impacts, and shared challenges and opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
The expert presentations provided a strong foundation for discussion. Denisa Diaconu, project manager at Buildings Performance Institute Europe, held presentation on Principles for Effective Implementation of MEPS. Francesco Scuderi, Secretary General at Eurovent, discussed MEPS in relation to Indoor Air Quality in public buildings, with special emphasis on educational buildings. Andre Muller from the Institute for Housing and Environment (IWU) delivered a presentation on the Digital tool to plan renovations of the worst performing building stock at scale, sharing experiences from the DataNWG project and demonstrating the ISO building simulator and the LezBAU tool that supports the implementation of MEPS. Aura Oancea, researcher at Energy Policy Group, in her Breaking the Cycle of Underperforming Renovations in Central and Eastern Europe presentation outlined the objectives and concrete outcomes of the EUKI-funded OUR-CEE project,highlighting reasons why CEE countries often struggle with effective building upgrades.
Participants actively engaged with presenters, raising questions particularly related to the implementation of MEPS in the renovation of historical buildings. As an introduction to the panel discussion, Damir Mandic, Business Development Manager at Regional Energy Agency North, presented the document Guiding Framework for the Introduction of Minimum Energy Performance Standards for the Worst Performing Public Buildings, outlining where and how MEPS apply.
A panel discussion followed, featuring representatives from the Hungarian Energy Efficiency Institute (Hungary), Energy Policy Group (Romania), Regional Energy Agency North (Croatia), and the Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect (Bulgaria). Panelists shared their national perspectives on the most pressing challenges in implementing MEPS for public buildings and reflected on the opportunities that the MEPS framework introduces. They also addressed how MEPS can be designed to complement instruments such as Building Renovation Passports and Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), ensuring that these instruments reinforce each other. Additionally, the discussion explored how MEPS can be structured to keep public building renovations both energy-efficient and people-centered—particularly in education, healthcare, and social service facilities where user comfort and well-being are crucial.
International Conference concluded with final remarks by Aura Oancea from Energy Policy Group, highlighting the key insights and the importance of continued cooperation across the CEE region in advancing public building renovation.
