Following Article 19a of the EPBD Directive 2018/844/EU, this study assessed the relevance and feasibility to introduce EU provisions for the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems in buildings.

Directive 2018/844/EU, articles 14 and 15, had already extended the requirements of Directive 2010/31/EU on inspection of heating and air-conditioning systems to the inspection of combined heating and ventilation systems, and combined air-conditioning and ventilation systems. The feasibility study foreseen under Article 19a investigated the need for a possible further extension of inspection to include also stand-alone ventilation systems, or other possible measures. In this study, stand-alone ventilation systems were defined as ventilation systems whose sole function is to ventilate a building.

The study included an overview of the stock of ventilation systems installed in Europe and related technological trends, as well as a review of mandatory and voluntary inspection schemes of ventilation systems in buildings, at EU and national levels.

The study assessed the relevance, feasibility, timing and overall impacts of introducing EU provisions (legislative or non-legislative) for the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems in buildings. The provisions could, for example, comprise the development or improvement of technical standards, guidelines and practices, or the possible extension of the mandatory regular inspection requirements to stand-alone ventilation systems.

The objectives of this study were to deliver:

• An analysis of the stock of ventilation systems in EU buildings, including their technical characteristics, the distribution systems and foreseen evolution of the stock.
• A review of existing regulations, schemes, guidelines and standards on the inspection of ventilation systems, and other relevant initiatives and projects, in the EU, and, where relevant, in other regions.
• An investigation of the relevance and feasibility of further promoting the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems in buildings at the EU level, and an exploration of the possible approaches to this end, including non-legislative and legislative measures, also in relation to EPBD Articles 14-15.

The relevant work was organised around the first three Tasks of the EPBD 19a feasibility study:

TASK 1 Review of regulations, guidelines and standards on the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems.

TASK 2 Analysis of the relevance, feasibility and possible scope of measures at EU-level for the inspection of stand-alone ventilation systems.

TASK 3 Selection of policy options for inspections of stand-alone ventilation systems and analysis of related potential impacts.