Dynamic Shading is an important component in the design of energy-efficient buildings. Shading is included in the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and is now a requirement in National Building Codes. For effective implementation, achieving fully the benefits of shading, it’s essential that architects and engineers have ongoing access to reliable, robust data when preparing specifications and performance-calculations.

To support this need ES-SO has taken the initiative to create a new European Solar Shading Products Properties Database, ES-SDA.

Its aim is to provide a reference list of independently verified and validated solar shading materials, to ensure correct specification and application in all types of buildings.

Since 2017 ES-SDA is fully operative  and companies completing successfully the peer review procedure have published their data.

Read more on http://www.es-so-database.com/

Buildings in Europe account for about 40 % of the total energy consumption and of 36% of the CO2 emissions. Currently, about 35% of the EU's buildings are over 50 years old. By improving the energy efficiency of buildings, Europe could reduce total EU energy consumption by 6% and lower CO2 emissions by about 5%. (Source: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/buildings).

ES-SO is strongly supporting the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which has since its Recast in 2010 given to Member States a powerful means to improve the energy performance of their buildings. The EU Commisison launched on 30th November 2016 its Clean Energy package.  

ES-SO would like to stress a point of attention, which is not sufficiently addressed:

"Overheating risk in low energy buildings to combat": Low energy construction methods and a progressing climate change are reported as playing a significant role in increasing overheating in new built and renovated buildings, which will shift the energy need for heating into more energy needed for cooling. To address this properly an explicit article on overheating has to be included in the coming EPBD review.

Download the ES-SO White Paper here.

ES-SO assembles studies and reports on overheating risk in low energy buildings, read more 

Read here  also the Joint Paper 9th November 2016 on  'Tapping the potential of windows' by European Aluminium, Eurowindoor, ES-SO, Glass for Europe.

Revising the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive: Tapping the potential of windows, Joint Position Paper

For the first time, the building glass façade and window industry represented by European Aluminium, EuroWindoor, ES-SO and Glass for Europe come together to call for a modernised EPBD to unleash the energy savings potential of high performing windows.

Windows and glazed areas in buildings are essential to the overall energy performance of buildings but also to the general comfort and well-being of people living and working in these buildings. To reap these distinctive benefits of modern windows, the four associations call for a revision for the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, in particular to ensure the energy performance of glazed areas is fairly assessed and to put in place the right mechanisms and incentives for market actors to deliver massive energy savings.

In the joint position paper enclosed, the signatories call on the European Commission to consider three priorities ahead of its review of the EPBD:
1. Increasing the renovation rate of European buildings to obtain larger energy use reductions
2. Using the energy balance approach to assess the energy performance of windows
3. Recognising the benefits of daylight, natural ventilation and solar management

Read the Position Paper, dowload here