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Section 3 Policies Policies Section 3 A specific measure enables households to install preparing to conform to the EU directive on the energy the remit of the Technical Instruments Development of dwellings to make them habitable and in new house rainwater collection equipment. certification system for buildings, with the application Programme in the System of Environmental Care building. The Spanish Habitat Committee, established of this system to new construction and dwellings under which is administered by the Department of the in 1994 to prepare the Habitat II Conference, has In contrast to the Northern European countries, Malta the thermal modernisation programme. The thermal- Environment. In the near future the Slovak continued its work with regard to implementing action has a very limited application of thermal insulation, modernisation fund’s credits contain market-driven Government plans to implement EU directives plans in the field of human settlements, and with a negligible proportion of the housing stock features and an embedded 25% amortisation premium regarding: the application of voluntary environmental preparation of reports on the application of the equipped with this facility. However, a programme of of the amount granted. Upon completion of the registrations, certifications (environmental Habitat Programme, in order to exchange information installing energy-efficiency measures into apartment project, this premium is transferred to the bank that management), the environmental labelling of products on the advances which have been made. In 2002 this buildings has recently commenced. The most common granted the credit, as partial repayment of the loan. and the use of environmentally friendly products committee also took part in the 4th United Nations measure employed in this programme is the insulation (consumer protection). The implementation of the EU Award for Best Practices in Improving the Urban of external cavity walls, the insulation of roofs and the The quality of urban design will become an increasing Directive on the energy performance of buildings will Environment which was held in Dubai. use of solar water heaters. Land-use planning policy priority in Portugal, with greater incentive be completed by 2006. As a result, old and new legislation has been amended to improve accorded to buildings of a sustainable architecture. buildings which have low-energy usage will be The Swedish Government identified, as one of its main environmental protection, encourage the efficient use The National Housing Institute, which is the agency awarded energy certificates. goals, the transformation of the country into a of development land, promote building aesthetics and responsible for the development and finance of social sustainable society in ecological, social, cultural and enhance urban conservation. housing, is promoting the output of quality housing In Slovenia the Energy Act, together with new building economic terms. In order to achieve this goal a large through the mechanism of the Social Housing regulations regarding thermal insulation and the number of measures have been initiated. These include The Government of the Netherlands has a long Technical Recommendations. These recommendations efficient use of energy in buildings, have recently been amendments to the Planning and Building Act which tradition of promoting sustainable development in a guide the physical and resource usage aspects of social introduced. These will help to reduce the quantity of identify the environment and sustainability of the built general context and in contraction and refurbishment housing in Portugal. Bio-climatic social housing (i.e. CO 2 emissions, reduce pollution and create a healthy structures as key priorities, and the Environmental of housing. In the coming years, government policy climatically adjusted dwellings) have recently been indoor climate. Code which combines fifteen previously independent will increasingly focus on energy-saving measures, with promoted through the sponsorship by the INH of a laws into one. In 1999, the Swedish Parliament the objective of reducing CO 2 emissions, making European tender to design a low-cost, climatically Among the countries under examination, Sweden and adopted 15 national environmental quality objectives, responsible use of materials and improving the internal adjusted building for multi-occupancy which formed Spain are distinguished by the particularly large describing the quality and state of the environment and conditions of housing for occupants. Recent initiatives part of the PLEA-88 exhibition that took place in number of sustainable construction measures that have outlining the natural and cultural resources of Sweden in relation to sustainable building have been Oporto in 2004. been introduced by government in recent years. Among in terms of sustainability. These objectives also serve as characterised by intensive co-operation between public the most significant measures of this type which have guidelines for community planning and in the and private agencies in a variety of projects that were In Romania newly built dwellings generally meet been introduced in Spain are the Building Regulation application of the Environmental Code and are the aimed at embedding the concept of sustainable European standards regarding thermal requirements. Act 1999 which has not yet had a significant impact basis for the formulation of sector objectives and the building in housing policy and construction practice. The thermal rehabilitation programme carried out by on the area of sustainable building. In order to address environmental management systems for industry and On the basis of this co-operation, the Policy the Ministry of Transport, Construction and Tourism this problem, software to aid the energy classification society in general. In order to ensure that these Programme 2000-2004 for Sustainable Building was is dealing with the existing housing stock, especially of housing has been developed and a Guide to objectives are achieved in 2001, the Government has devised. Under the auspices of this programme the the multi-storey buildings constructed before 1985 Sustainable Building has been published. A policy proposed that interim targets should be set for each of Ministry of Housing is stimulating energy conservation (when a new thermal standard had been imposed), in statement entitled the Sustainable Building Programme them. In a series of decisions in 2001 and 2002, by means of an Energy Premium Regulation. The order to minimise the thermal energy loss. Water 2003-2005 has been devised and is currently being Parliament adopted a total of sixty-nine such targets, number of applications for subsidies under this consumption levels in Romania are very high, mainly implemented. This programme continues Spanish indicating the direction and time-scale of the action to Regulation has surpassed expectations for 2003. due to the major water losses caused by the aged participation in the international tasks of the Green be taken. It also approved three strategies for supply network and also because the population pays Building Challenge and involves the preparation of the implementing the objectives, which highlight a need for Poland has also adapted its legislation to incorporate for water collectively and therefore individuals have no Spanish System of Environmental Building Assessment cross-sectoral measures. In 2003 a report was sustainable development considerations, including the motivation to conserve it. In order to address this and environmental analysis of construction materials presented to the Government evaluating progress so far Kyoto Climate Change Protocol at the global level, and problem, in tandem with the upgrading of the water and products and the drafting of the White Paper on towards the interim targets. EU legislation in the context of the accession process. supply network, a national programme of water sustainable building in Spain. Under the terms of the A number of strategic projects addressing sustainable metering is currently underway. State Housing and Land Plan 2002-2005, the These 15 national environmental quality objectives are development have been established to date, including Government has funded pilot schemes which being implemented into the daily work of the national the State climate policy and the strategy of reduction In Slovakia, the environmental assessment of products demonstrate how sustainable building techniques can government authorities concerned and the indicators to of thermal gas emission up to 2020. Poland is in accordance with the process in the EU falls within be used in adaptations to dwellings, in the upgrading assess their implementation are the concern of various 122 European Union Report Regular National Report on Housing Developments in European Countries 123
Section 3 Policies Policies Section 3 Central Government authorities. In addition, a Climate Investment Programme has been introduced for the period from 2003 to 2004, with associated funding of materials such as timber. The Energy White Paper, published in February 2003, includes a commitment to increase the energy efficiency of buildings. In order to 3.5 International and EU Developments Housing Focal Points of many of the new EU member States to the survey on which this report is based. This issue is due to be discussed at the November 2004 EU almost SEK 850 million with the primary aim to decrease CO 2 emissions. A network consisting of some 40 organisations within the field of building and property has devised a new plan of action entitled The Environmental Programme for the Building Sector which covers the period 2003-2010. The programme contains environmental goals for: energy conservation, economising with building materials, a gradual decrease of hazardous substances and encouragement of sound indoor environments. A project entitled ‘The Building/Living Dialogue for a Sustainable Building and Property Sector’ has been established which is a unique co-operation between private companies, municipalities and the Swedish Government. The result has been a voluntary agreement to undertake tangible measures for sustainable development and the project has three areas of priority: a healthy indoor environment, effective use of energy and effective resource management. Finally, all municipalities have special energy advisors and resources will be invested in their further training. A number of initiatives have also been put in place in the United Kingdom in recent years concerning sustainable housing construction. For instance, the UK Government is committed to increasing the standard to which all publicly funded housing is built, to ensure new housing is more sustainable. In England, all new social rented dwellings built by Registered Social Landlords are required to achieve an EcoHomes rating of ‘Pass’ as a minimum essential condition for receipt of grant aid. Furthermore Registered Social Landlords are encouraged to aim for the higher ‘Good’ rating. Also in England, a high-level group of builders, developers, planners and environmental advisers has been appointed to spearhead efforts to raise the environmental quality of buildings. This new Sustainable Buildings Task Group will pinpoint ways in which industry and government can work together to promote sustainable development through better environmental performance in new and existing buildings, and improve performance significantly on key issues including water, energy, waste and building achieve this the UK Government is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of Building Regulation Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power), which will be implemented in 2005. The EU Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings is also being implemented according to the same time-scale. The EU does not have competency in terms of housing and as a result no explicit statement of EU housing policy exists. However, developments at European level impact on the housing policies of the individual member States in a number of ways: Firstly, the EU directives that are aimed at harmonising legislation among member countries, and obligations by member countries to comply with fiscal, budgetary, taxation and expenditure regulations, directly affect the financing and operation of the housing sector. Secondly, EU regional development programmes can impact on local housing markets and thus shape local housing policies through the provision of infrastructure and investment that can support the demand for housing and, in certain cases, distort regional development patterns and their associated housing markets. Thirdly, specific and targeted EU initiatives such as the URBAN programme, aimed at improving employment opportunities, supporting residents’ participation and promoting social inclusion in deprived urban areas have augmented State-funded housing initiatives by member countries. The European Commission has recently issued a number of directives relating to construction products, energy performance of buildings, public procurement and competition. A number of countries are modifying their legislation to conform to the energy performance directive and, specifically, construction products directives. Also a number of member countries have been the subject of legal action or complaints at EU level in relation to aspects of their housing policy. As was mentioned earlier in this section, many of the new EU member countries had to make major modifications to their existing legislation and policies in order to attain EU membership and similar processes are currently underway in the applicant countries of Romania and Bulgaria. The possible extension of the Structural Funds to co-finance programmes addressing social housing and the modernisation of housing stock, particularly apartment buildings constructed with prefabricated-panel technology, was also raised in the responses from the ministerial conference ‘Comprehensive Modernisation of High-Rise (Panel) Buildings and Renewal of the Surrounding Environment as a Long-Term Solution to Improving Housing Conditions’. In addition to EU initiatives, some other international developments have impacted on housing in the EU member States in recent years. For instance, as was mentioned in Section 3.3 above, the Country Profiles on the Housing Sector which were written on several new EU member States by the UNECE have had a significant impact on housing policy in many of the countries in question, as has Guidelines on Condominium Ownership of Housing for Countries in Transition which was published by UNECE in 2003. The following publications and conferences have also impacted on housing policy in the EU: ■ World Housing Strategy (Vancouver World Conference, Habitat I, 1976); ■ Agenda 21 and Rio Declaration (Rio World Conference, 1992); ■ Istanbul Declaration (Habitat II, 1996); ■ Millennium Declaration – Istanbul +5 (New York, 2001), and ■ the Johannesburg Declaration (World Summit for Sustainable Development, 2002). Full details of all the international and EU developments that have impacted on housing in the 28 countries are provided in TABLE 3.5.1. 124 European Union Report Regular National Report on Housing Developments in European Countries 125
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