The Ministry of the Environment of Finland is responsible for transposing and implementing the EPBD in Finland. Building energy efficiency regulations have been in place since 1976, as part of the National Building Code. These regulations have been tightened several times since, in part due to implementing the EPBD.
EPCs were introduced at the beginning of 2008, based on the Energy Certification of Buildings Act.
In line with Directive 2010/31/EU, minimum energy performance requirements for the construction of new buildings have been revised and minimum requirements have been developed for existing buildings undergoing renovations and retrofitting. The detailed definition and regulation for NZEB has been finalised, and the revision of the Land Use and Building Act came into force on 1 January 2017. These new regulations ensure the implementation of Directive 2010/31/EU.
For boiler and AC system inspections, Finland’s parliament has chosen to use alternative measures (instead of compulsory inspection) in response to Articles 14 and 15 of the EPBD.
As the main undertaking of the implementation of Directive 2018/844/EU, the Finnish Long-Term Renovation Strategy was submitted by due date, in March 2020.
The linkages in the recast Energy Efficiency Directive (EU/2023/1791) as well as the new EPBD (EU/2024/1275) link also the work within the governmental agencies, as the EED is handled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Energy Authority. Cooperation between the ministries and the Authorities involved is the key to successful transposition of the Directives.
Well-tried practices, such as energy efficiency agreement schemes and existing web portals, have proved to be an excellent basis for providing information on training programmes and advisory services as well as monitoring and reporting, and will continue to be so in the future.
As the need for enhanced sustainability and energy efficiency grows within the EU, and as Finland is working to meet its goals for carbon neutrality in 2035, Finland will tap into its strengths to meet future demands: cooperation between government and the building sector, voluntary measures in implementing energy efficiency goals, and know-how in energy efficiency construction and renovation.
