Sustainable Buildings

Betonakkoord Issues Circular Procurement Guidelines For High-Quality Recycling Of Concrete And Steel In The Netherlands

The Betonakkoord coalition has issued detailed procurement guidelines for circular demolition that embed reuse and high-grade recycling of concrete and steel into Dutch construction and infrastructure tenders, including 2025–2027 targets and limits for recycled aggregates. These voluntary but influential rules will increasingly shape tender criteria, supplier expectations and investment decisions across demolition, recycling and concrete supply chains as public and private clients scale up high-quality reuse and recycling.

29 May 2026, 08:09betonakkoord.nlNetherlands

Netherlands Housing Minister Outlines 2027–2030 Agenda to Standardise and Modernise Building Regulations (Bbl)

In May 2026 the Dutch Minister for Housing set out a medium-term agenda to standardise, simplify and modernise national building regulations (Bbl), including upcoming EU-driven energy and whole-life-carbon requirements and stricter fire-safety measures for facades and mass timber buildings. For developers, landlords and construction suppliers this signals a tightening but also streamlining of rules from 2027–2030, with clear movement towards industrialised construction, higher building fire performance, and mandatory energy and carbon thresholds that will need to be built into design, investment and compliance planning.

29 May 2026, 07:42zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

Germany: AfD Parliamentary Question on Enforcement and Impacts of the Building Energy Act (GEG) in 2025

AfD members of the German Bundestag have submitted a detailed parliamentary question asking the federal government for 2025 enforcement, funding and impact data on the Building Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, GEG). This does not change the law but signals scrutiny of how rigorously GEG obligations are implemented and financed, which could influence future enforcement priorities or support schemes for building owners and landlords.

28 May 2026, 20:46dserver.bundestag.deGermany

Denmark: Be18 Building Energy Calculations No Longer Mandatory From 29 May 2026

From 29 May 2026, Denmark will no longer require the Be18 software for calculating and documenting buildings’ energy needs, replacing it with a new method-based approach under the national building regulations. This shifts compliance from a single mandated tool to conformity with an official calculation method, so designers and energy modellers need to adopt compatible software and adjust documentation processes ahead of the deadline to avoid permitting or project delays.

28 May 2026, 18:45sbst.dkDenmark

Drenthe Adopts 2026 Subsidy Scheme for Energy-Saving Home Insulation

The Province of Drenthe has adopted a 2026 subsidy scheme for energy-saving home insulation measures for low-income owner-occupiers, which will apply from June 2026 to January 2028 and explicitly excludes projects that use urea-formaldehyde (UF) foam. This steers renovation demand toward alternative insulation materials and signals ongoing policy and market pressure against UF foam in publicly supported building upgrades.

28 May 2026, 09:56zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nlNetherlands

California Assembly Passes AB 2612 on Plug-In Photovoltaic Building Standards

In May 2026, the California Assembly passed AB 2612, a bill directing future building energy standards to enable certified plug-in photovoltaic systems to safely supply power into new residential and nonresidential electrical circuits. If enacted, this will shape post-2031 California building codes for rooftop and portable solar, creating future design and certification requirements for builders, electrical contractors, and manufacturers of plug-in PV equipment.

28 May 2026, 09:53leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

California Assembly Passes AB 2748 on EV Charging Standards for Affordable Housing Developments

In May 2026 the California Assembly passed AB 2748, a bill to embed electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements into building standards for affordable housing developments and advanced it to the Senate. If enacted, this would push affordable housing developers and EV charging suppliers to plan for integrated charging capacity in future projects, influencing design choices, permitting strategies, and long-term sustainability investments in California.

28 May 2026, 09:51leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

Germany Bundestag Schedules First Reading of Bill Amending Building Energy and Heating Laws

In May 2026 the German government tabled a bill to amend the Building Energy Act, the Building Electromobility Infrastructure Act and related heating laws, with the Bundestag scheduling its first reading for 11 June and signalling plans to scrap the 65% renewable heating requirement and related boiler bans. If adopted broadly as described, this would mark a major pivot in Germany’s building decarbonisation strategy, shifting from technology mandates to gradual green-fuel blending and creating significant uncertainty for heating equipment manufacturers, fuel suppliers and property owners until the final obligations and timelines are negotiated.

27 May 2026, 13:06bundestag.deGermany

Japan METI Outlines New Energy-Efficiency Scheme for Household Water Heaters to 2034

Japan’s METI has outlined a new target-based scheme to cut fossil energy use from household water heaters, setting 2034 benchmarks and requiring manufacturers to publish company-specific efficiency targets by the end of FY2027. This signals a major shift toward high-efficiency heat-pump, fuel-cell, hybrid and condensing systems in the Japanese market, with implications for product portfolios, labelling and investment decisions across the home energy equipment value chain.

26 May 2026, 10:20meti.go.jpJapan

Malta Adopts 2026 Amendments to Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations

In May 2026 Malta adopted amendments to its Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations to align building-sector rules with new EU renewable energy and energy efficiency requirements. The changes tighten obligations on public bodies, building owners and utilities around minimum on-site renewables, metering, renovation strategies and energy savings, raising expectations for future building design, refurbishment and investment decisions.

25 May 2026, 18:24legislation.mtMalta

Turkey Adopts Life-Cycle and Energy Performance Rules for Large New Buildings

Turkey has amended its building energy performance rules to require life-cycle greenhouse-gas analysis and energy performance certificates for new buildings of 10,000 m² or more from 1 January 2027. Developers and asset owners will need to build BEP-TR life-cycle modelling and upgraded expert certifications into the planning of large projects, and can seek low-carbon building recognition where performance thresholds are met.

25 May 2026, 17:13csb.gov.trTürkiye

German Bundestag Publishes June 2026 Plenary Agenda With Key Climate and Cyber Resilience Bills

In May 2026 the German Bundestag published its 10–12 June plenary agenda, confirming debates and first readings on major climate, energy, cyber resilience and environmental crime legislation. These agenda decisions signal that core elements of Germany’s climate targets, building energy rules, electricity capacity design and digital product security regime are entering the parliamentary decision-making phase, so affected sectors should track outcomes and begin scenario planning for compliance.

25 May 2026, 17:12bundestag.deGermany

GB Ofgem Sets 2027 Heat Network Registration Deadline and DESNZ Awards New Heat Network Funding

Ofgem has opened a new digital service for heat networks and confirmed that existing operators and suppliers must register their networks under the consumer protection regime by 26 January 2027, while DESNZ is awarding over £40 million to upgrade and expand low-carbon heat networks in England and Wales. Heat network owners, suppliers and large users should plan now to complete Ofgem registration and data systems ahead of the 2027 cut-off and evaluate opportunities to use HNES and GHNF funding to improve network efficiency, decarbonise heat supply and manage long-term operating costs.

23 May 2026, 20:00ofgem.gov.ukUnited Kingdom

European Parliament Hearing on Safe and Sustainable Construction Materials in EU Housing

The European Parliament is holding a June 2026 hearing on how construction materials and the revised Construction Products Regulation can support safer, more sustainable and affordable housing across the EU. This signals potential future EU measures affecting construction product rules, standards and access to materials for contractors and manufacturers, particularly SMEs, and is an early touchpoint for monitoring implementation of the new CPR framework.

23 May 2026, 09:10europarl.europa.euEuropean Union

German Bundestag Debates Motions on EPBD Transposition, Fossil Heating Phase-Out and Gas Independence

Opposition parties in the German Bundestag have tabled four energy-policy motions, triggering a May 2026 debate on implementing the EPBD, phasing out fossil heating and advancing gas independence targets. While non-binding, these proposals point to possible future tightening of building-energy rules, long-term gas reduction milestones and stronger tenant protections that energy, construction and housing stakeholders should factor into strategy and investment planning.

22 May 2026, 18:53bundestag.deGermanyEuropean Union

EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2024/1275) Sets 2026 Transposition Deadline and Zero-Emission Building Targets

The EU’s recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2024/1275) now has a consolidated version applying from May 2026, requiring Member States to transpose it by 29 May 2026 and setting binding trajectories for zero-emission new buildings, minimum performance standards for existing stock, and large-scale deployment of solar and EV-charging infrastructure. These measures will force accelerated renovation and redesign of residential, commercial and public buildings across the EU, driving demand for high-efficiency envelopes, HVAC, solar and smart controls while tightening transition expectations for fossil-fuel heating and influencing long-term real estate and infrastructure investment decisions.

21 May 2026, 06:53eur-lex.europa.euEuropean Union

Homes England Joins Homes for Nature Commitment Requiring Swift Bricks on New Developments

Homes England has reportedly joined the Future Homes Hub Homes for Nature commitment, meaning new housing developments on its land are expected to integrate swift-compatible nest bricks and wider biodiversity features under a five-year programme. This signals that integrated biodiversity measures such as swift bricks, hedgehog highways and nature-friendly planting are becoming standardised design requirements for major public-sector-backed housing projects in England, with implications for developers’ planning and construction strategies.

20 May 2026, 19:58irp.cdn-website.comUnited Kingdom

UK OPSS Publishes Research On Evolution Of EU Construction Product Regulation And CPR 2024

In May 2026 the UK Office for Product Safety and Standards published an OPSS‑commissioned research report analysing how the EU construction products regime has evolved from the original Construction Products Directive through CPR 2011 to the newly adopted CPR 2024, and how these changes affect regulators, manufacturers and users. The findings highlight structural weaknesses in standards and enforcement, UK testing and knowledge‑network gaps, and far‑reaching CPR 2024 shifts on environmental performance, product requirements and digital product passports, providing an evidence base for adjusting construction‑product compliance and surveillance strategies over the coming years.

20 May 2026, 19:24assets.publishing.service.gov.ukEuropean UnionUnited Kingdom

California Assembly Amends AB 2748 on EV Charging Standards for Affordable Housing

California is advancing AB 2748, which temporarily exempts qualifying affordable housing developments from new 2025 EV charging receptacle requirements by allowing projects permitted from 2025 to 2030 to follow the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code instead. If enacted, this change would lower near-term construction costs for affordable housing while potentially slowing the rollout of higher-spec EV charging infrastructure, so developers, owners, and sustainability teams with California portfolios may need to reassess project designs and investment plans.

20 May 2026, 18:00leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States

California Assembly Amends And Advances AB 2612 On Plug-In Photovoltaic Building Standards

In May 2026, the California Assembly amended and advanced AB 2612, a bill that would empower state building regulators to develop future energy standards allowing qualified plug-in photovoltaic systems to operate safely as energy sources in new residential and nonresidential buildings. If adopted, this would signal a shift toward integrating portable rooftop and balcony solar into California’s building code, with future design and certification implications for PV equipment suppliers, developers, and building owners once Title 24 standards are in place after 2031.

20 May 2026, 17:59leginfo.legislature.ca.govUnited States