International Energy Agency Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme


The International Energy Agency Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme, formerly known as the Energy in Buildings and Community Systems Programme, is one of the International Energy Agency’s Technology Collaboration Programmes. The Programme "carries out research and development activities toward near-zero energy and carbon emissions in the built environment".

History

The programme was formally launched in 1977, following the oil crisis which drove research into alternative sources of energy and technologies to improve energy efficiency. Since then, IEA EBC’s main aim has been to provide an international focus for energy efficiency research in the building sector, with its current mission being to “develop and facilitate the integration of technologies and processes for energy efficiency and conservation into healthy, low emission and sustainable buildings and communities, through innovation and research”.

Former EBC Executive Committee Chairs

Every five years, the IEA Committee on Energy Research and Technology renews the Programme’s Strategic Plan. The latest EBC Strategic Plan was developed in 2013 and is effective for the period March 2014 to February 2019. It was developed in consultation with the IEA’s Working Party on Energy End-Use Technologies and CERT. The broad scope encompassed by the EBC Programme is reflected by five main focus areas as defined in the Strategic Plan:
Countries currently participating in the EBC are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, P.R. China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

EBC Annexes

The EBC carries out research and development projects known as Annexes, with a typical duration of 3 to 4 years forming the Programme’s basis. “The outcomes of the Annexes address the determining factors for energy use in three domains: technological aspects, policy measures, and occupant behaviour”. Below is a list with completed and current Annexes.

Completed

The EBC Programme produces a series of scientific publications.
Outcomes and summary reports of the various running and completed projects are published when available.
The EBC newsletter “EBC News” is published twice per year, including feedback from running and forthcoming Annexes as well as other articles in the field of energy use for buildings and communities.
The EBC Annual Report outlines the Programme’s yearly progress, including among others separate sections summarizing the status and available deliverables for each Annex.

External Links

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