EPB: definition and what it requires of a floor

What is EPB?

EPB, or Energy Performance of Buildings, is the regulation that sets minimum energy requirements for buildings in Belgium. It stems from a European directive, and each region applies it with its own rules: Flanders uses the term EPB, while Brussels and Wallonia use PEB.

It applies to new construction and renovations requiring a permit, with requirements for each building element and, in the case of new construction, overall requirements for the building.

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What is the difference between the EPB regulation and the EPB certificate?

The regulation sets what a project must achieve before or during construction. The EPB certificate is a document that rates an existing home during a sale or rental. Both share the same name but serve different roles: while a well-insulated floor improves the certificate, it is the regulation that mandates the minimum performance.

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What does EPB require for a floor?

For a new floor or one insulated as part of a renovation, the requirement concerns the U-value U-value of the surface. The Flemish EPB brochure and Brussels PEB forms set a maximum of 0.24 W/m².K for floors. In Wallonia, check the current annex with your EPB consultant.

In new construction, EPB also focuses on the junctions between surfaces where insulation is interrupted: this is the issue of thermal bridges, referred to as construction nodes in the Flemish regulation.

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How Davide Chape works with the EPB consultant

The EPB consultant calculates, the installer executes. We start with the thickness and type of insulation specified in the EPB file, we report any height discrepancies before installation, and we provide the product data sheets needed for the final report. See our floor insulation solutions.