Focus on EPBD4 at Smart Building Expo

Work is in full swing on the Smart Building Expo programme, and under the spotlight—unsurprisingly—is the EPBD4, the so-called European directive on green buildings, which has been the subject of lively debate in recent months.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 4 was definitively approved in May 2024 and requires all Member States to outline their implementation strategies within 12 months of the approval. The Italian government, therefore, will also be expected to comply by May 2026. The workshop, leveraging the specialisations of the various trade shows that make up MIBA, will aim to clearly highlight the recommendations that the supply chain intends to offer policymakers—an ideal blend of building envelope upgrades, new systems and technologies, smart building intelligence, and integration with the local energy grid.

The European Union, for its part, is pressing ahead firmly with the EPBD4, having just released the guidelines to define a stable regulatory framework that will encourage investment in sustainable construction.

Indeed, the alliance between public and private sectors will be a key factor in achieving this highly ambitious goal, which could also represent a new development model and a powerful economic multiplier.

The European Commission has also announced the composition of the new Advisory Committee for Housing, which includes Italian professor Ezio Micelli from IUAV University of Venice.