Nowadays buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of European CO2 emissions. Energy performance of buildings is a keypoint to achieve the 20 20 20 Targets namely a reduction of a 20% of the Greenhouse gases emissions by 2020 and a 20% energy savings by 2020. Improving the energy performance of buildings is a cost-effective way of fighting against climate change and improving energy security, while also creating job opportunities, particularly in the building sector.

The recast of the Energy Performance Building Directive (EPBD) on energy efficiency of buildings is the main legislative instrument at EU level to improve energy performance in buildings. Under this Directive, the Member States must apply minimum requirements as regards the energy performance of new and existing buildings, ensuring the certification of their energy performance and requiring regular inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems in buildings.  By 1 January 2021, all new buildings, including existing buildings undergoing major renovation, will have to meet 'very high energy performance' standards. In practical terms, this implies that buildings will have to supply a significant proportion of their energy requirements from renewable energy generated either on site or nearby.

To meet these challenges ICT systems will be a fundamental to improve energy performances of buildings: information and communication technologies role has been defined in the report "ICT for a Low Carbon Economy - Smart Buildings".

“ICT have an important role to play in reducing the energy intensity and therefore increasing the energy efficiency of the economy, in other words, in reducing emissions and contributing to sustainable growth. Indeed emerging changes offer the possibility of modernising the European economy, towards a future where technology and society will be attuned to new needs and where innovation will create new  opportunities.

ICT will not only improve energy efficiency and help combat climate change, they will also stimulate the development of a large leading-edge market for ICT enabled energy- efficiency technologies that will foster the competitiveness of European industry and create new business opportunities.

As ICT is today pervasive to all industrial and business domains, it is expected to generate a deep impact in the energy efficiency of buildings of tomorrow  should they be new  or renovated”.