BOULDER, CO—Stringent regulations that apply across the European Union have contributed to the development of a growing market for energy efficient buildings in Europe. That is one of the broad findings of a recent report from Navigant Research. The study analyzes the European market for residential and commercial building energy efficient products and services, including market forecasts for revenue through 2023.

At the same time, mandatory changes to country-level building codes are increasing the performance requirements that apply to new construction and major renovations of existing buildings, with the goal of delivering nearly zero energy buildings by 2019 and 2021. This would apply to both public and private buildings, with respective target dates.

“Buildings account for 40% of Europe's final energy consumption, and represent a key focus in efforts to improve overall energy efficiency,” says Noah Goldstein, research director with Navigant Research. “The policy landscape for energy efficiency in Europe is among the most stringent in the world, making it a laboratory for technologies and strategies that could be exported to other regions.”

The report, Energy Efficient Buildings: Europe, analyzes the European market for residential and commercial building energy efficient products and services. It summarizes the market drivers and barriers for energy efficient products and services, including energy service company (ESCO) energy performance contracting, across the policy and technology landscape in Europe. Market forecasts for revenue, broken out by product, development, and building type and European region, extend through 2023. The report also examines the key technologies related to building energy efficient products and services, as well as the competitive landscape. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.

According to the report, continent-wide revenue from energy efficient buildings in Europe, including products and services, is expected to grow from $56 billion (€41.4B) annually in 2014 to $109 billion (€80.8B) in 2023.

The key piece of continent-wide legislation governing the building sector, according to the report, is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which applies to new construction and major building renovations. It includes a number of key elements, including a progressive tightening of building codes leading to requirements for nearly- zero-energy buildings for the public sector by 2019 and private buildings by 2021; inspections of large energy-consuming mechanical equipment; energy performance rating of buildings; and the introduction of financial instruments to improve building energy performance.

Navigant Research, the dedicated research arm of Navigant, provides market research and benchmarking services for rapidly-changing and often highly regulated industries. In the energy sector, Navigant Research focuses on in-depth analysis and reporting about global clean technology markets. The team's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Utilities, Smart Transportation, and Smart Buildings sectors.