S.I. No. 195/2026 - European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) (No. 2) Regulations 2026

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 12th May, 2026.

I, JAMES BROWNE, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 (No. 27 of 1972) for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of Article 19(2) of, and Annex V to, Directive (EU) 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 April 2024¹ , hereby make the following regulations:

PART 1 PRELIMINARY AND GENERAL

Citation, collective citation and commencement

1.

• (2) These Regulations shall be included in the collective citation Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012 to 2026.

• (3) These Regulations shall come into operation on 24^th day of May 2026.

Definitions

2.

“BER certificate” has the meaning given to it in Regulation 3(1) of the Principal Regulations;

“BER record” has the meaning given to it in Regulation 3(1) of the Principal Regulations;

“Principal Regulations” means the European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2012 ( S.I. No. 243 of 2012 ).

PART 2 ISSUE OF BER CERTIFICATES FOR BUILDINGS OTHER THAN DWELLINGS

Amendment of Regulation 3 of Principal Regulations

3.

“ ‘ZEB Renovate’ means a renovated building with a very high energy performance, as determined in accordance with Annex I to the Directive, requiring zero or a very low amount of energy, producing zero on-site carbon emissions from fossil fuels and producing zero or a very low amount of operational greenhouse gas emissions, in accordance with Part 4A;”.

Amendment of Regulation 11 of Principal Regulations

4.

• “(5) The building energy rating classes for the building types specified in column (1) of Schedule 6 shall be—

  • (a) less than or equal to the number set out in columns (2) to (8), or

  • (b) greater than the number set out in column (9),

  as the case may be, opposite that entry in column (1).

• (6) The building energy rating threshold for ZEB Renovate for the building types specified in column (1) of Schedule 6 shall be not greater than the number set out in column (10) opposite that entry in column (1).”.

PART 3 AMENDMENT OF SCHEDULES TO PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS

Amendment of Schedule 3 to Principal Regulations

5.

Amendment of Schedule 4 to Principal Regulations

6.

Insertion of Schedule 6 to Principal Regulations

7.

PART 4 FINAL PROVISION

Transitional provision

8.

• (a) BER certificate generated or issued, or

• (b) BER record created,

on a date before the date of the coming into operation of these Regulations shall continue to be valid after that second-mentioned date notwithstanding the coming into operation of these Regulations.

SCHEDULE 1

Regulation 5

“SCHEDULE 3

Regulation 11(1), (2) & (3)

FORM OF BUILDING ENERGY RATING (BER) FOR A BUILDING OTHER THAN A DWELLING

”.

SCHEDULE 2

Regulation 6

“SCHEDULE 4

Regulation 11(1) & (3)

FORM OF PROVISIONAL BUILDING ENERGY RATING (BER) FOR NEW BUILDING OTHER THAN A DWELLING

”.

”.

SCHEDULE 3

Regulation 7

“SCHEDULE 6

Regulation 11(5) & (6)

TOTAL PRIMARY ENERGY THRESHOLDS (kWh/(m^2.y)) FOR BUIDING ENERGY RATING CLASSES FOR BUILDINGS OTHER THAN DWELLINGS

Building Type	Energy Rating A0	Energy Rating A	Energy Rating B	Energy Rating C	Energy Rating D	Energy Rating E	Energy Rating F	Energy Rating G	ZEB Renovate Threshold
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)	(9)	(10)
Residential Institutions -Universities and colleges	70	140	280	420	560	700	840	840	155
Emergency services	275	350	700	1050	1400	1750	2100	2100	605
General Assembly and Leisure plus Night Clubs and Theatres	140	185	370	555	740	925	1110	1110	310
General Industrial and Special Industrial Groups	115	175	350	525	700	875	1050	1050	255
Hotels	190	270	540	810	1080	1350	1620	1620	310
Non-residential Institutions – Community / Day Centre	85	110	220	330	440	550	660	660	190
Non-residential Institutions - Libraries Museums and Galleries	90	140	280	420	560	700	840	840	200
Non-residential Institutions - Primary Health Care Building	70	120	240	360	480	600	720	720	155
Offices and Workshop businesses	40	120	240	360	480	600	720	720	90
Others –Miscellaneous 24hr activities	500	1000	2000	3000	4000	5000	6000	6000	1100
Others - Passenger terminals	90	170	340	510	680	850	1020	1020	200
Residential Institutions - Care Homes	110	205	410	615	820	1025	1230	1230	240
Residential Institutions - Hospitals	210	300	520	740	960	1180	1400	1400	305
Residential spaces	65	125	250	375	500	625	750	750	145
Restaurant and Cafes/Drinking Establishments and Hot Food takeaways	160	250	500	750	1000	1250	1500	1500	350
Retail and Financial/Professional services	70	180	360	540	720	900	1080	1080	190
Schools	30	60	120	180	240	300	360	360	50
Secure Residential Institutions	105	230	460	690	920	1150	1380	1380	230
Storage or Distribution	50	175	350	525	700	875	1050	1050	110

”.

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

7 May, 2026.

JAMES BROWNE,

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations transpose Article 19(2) of Directive 2024/1275 of the European Parliament and of the Council of the 24 April 2024 into the law of the State. The Regulations provide that on, and from, 24 May 2026, a new category of building energy rating (A0) corresponding to zero emissions buildings shall be introduced for buildings other than dwellings. The existing alpha numerical system from A1 to G will be simplified to use only letters and the previous subdivisions shall no longer apply. A ‘ZEB Renovate’ indicator is being introduced for renovated buildings. Additional metrics relating to energy usage, global warming potential and greenhouse gases will be reported on the new BER certificates issued.

Footnotes