'Green' Obligations Regarding New Constructions and Their Impact Upon the Real Estate Market

• Author: Simona Chirica
• Profession: Department of Law, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania
• Pages: 299-305

'Green' Obligations Regarding New Constructions and Their Impact

Upon the Real-Estate Market

Lecturer Simona CHIRICĂ

1

Abstract

The fight for reducing green gas emissions and energy dependency re-

quires the application of additional obligations for new constructions. From this

perspective, starting from the 31st of December 2020 building permits for new

constructions in the private sector shall be issued only if their energy consume is

close to zero. Additionally, the recovery level of non-dangerous waste resulting

from construction and demolition activities must reach until the 31st of December

2020 a percentage of minimum 70%. These additional obligations will have a

direct impact upon the construction price and will certainly influence the real -

estate market.

Keywords: Green obligations, real-estate market, energy performance of

buildings, energy law.

JEL Classification: K25, K32.

1. Buildings whose energy consumption is almost equal to zero

At European Union level, buildings are responsible for about 40% of final

energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions

2

. From the energy

consumption perspective at the national level, the residential and tertiary sector

(office buildings, commercial spaces and other non-residential buildings) repre-

sent together 45% of the total energy consumption

3

. Considering that there is a

tendency to expand this sector, it is obvious that both energy and raw material

consumption will increase, which will also lead to an increase in the level of car-

bon dioxide emissions.

1.1. Applicable legislative framework

From the perspective of the legislation applicable at the European Union

level, the field of energy efficiency is regulated mainly by Directive 2010/31/EU

of the European Parliament and of the Council from 19th May 2010 on the energy

1

Simona Chirică – Department of Law, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania,

s.chirica@schoenherr.eu

2

https://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/energy-efficiency/buildings (consulted on 5.10.2017).

3

https://ec.europa.eu/energy/sites/ener/files/documents/2014_article4_ro_romania.pdf (consulted

on 5.10.2017).