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[EN] In Europe, buildings are responsible for more than one third of the total final energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions. In the last twenty years, the European Union has published a succession of energy performance of building directives to define and ensure the fulfilment of a series of objectives regarding greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, energy efficiency and energy generation from renewable sources in buildings. For its part, Spain is adapting its legal framework, transposing these directives with the aim of achieving greater energy efficiency and sustainability for buildings. Under this context, an energy, economic and environmental assessment is performed to analyze the impact of these regulatory changes on a single-family home including a photovoltaic installation for self-consumption with surpluses and/or a solar thermal installation for domestic hot water supply, located in each one of the eight thousand one hundred thirty-one municipalities that make up Spain. The energy behavior of the original house is compared with that obtained after it is updated with these new facilities. The transient system simulation tool is used for the energy study. The results show that the European objectives are far exceeded. The energy savings achieved range from 67% to 126%, carbon dioxide emissions decrease by 42% to 100% and energy bills are reduced in cost by 32% to 81%. The findings of this work can be used by policymakers as guidelines for the development of national strategic plans and financial incentives for the promotion of small-scale residential photovoltaic and solar thermal applications, as well as by designers, supervisors, managers and developers to include them in their projects.

[EN] In Europe, buildings are responsible for more than one third of the total final energy demands and greenhouse gas emissions. In the last twenty years, the European Union has published a succession of energy performance of building directives to define and ensure the fulfilment of a series of objectives regarding greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, energy efficiency and energy generation from renewable sources in buildings. For its part, Spain is adapting its legal framework, transposing these directives with the aim of achieving greater energy efficiency and sustainability for buildings. Under this context, an energy, economic and environmental assessment is performed to analyze the impact of these regulatory changes on a single-family home including a photovoltaic installation for self-consumption with surpluses and/or a solar thermal installation for domestic hot water supply, located in each one of the eight thousand one hundred thirty-one municipalities that make up Spain. The energy behavior of the original house is compared with that obtained after it is updated with these new facilities. The transient system simulation tool is used for the energy study. The results show that the European objectives are far exceeded. The energy savings achieved range from 67% to 126%, carbon dioxide emissions decrease by 42% to 100% and energy bills are reduced in cost by 32% to 81%. The findings of this work can be used by policymakers as guidelines for the development of national strategic plans and financial incentives for the promotion of small-scale residential photovoltaic and solar thermal applications, as well as by designers, supervisors, managers and developers to include them in their projects.

[ES] El tiempo de retorno de la energía (*EPBT, por sus siglas en inglés de *Energy *PayBack Time) es la evaluación del requerimiento de energía para la fabricación de un sistema fotovoltaico. Indica los años necesarios porque un sistema fotovoltaico genero una cierta cantidad de energía para compensar el consumo de energía durante su ciclo de vida, incluidos los requisitos energéticos para la fabricación, ensamblaje, transporte, instalación, operación y mantenimiento, y desmantelamiento o reciclaje de los sistemas. En este *TFG se compara el *EPBT de diferentes tipos de sistemas fotovoltaicos: *mono-Si, multe-Si o de capa fina., [EN] The energy return time (* EPBT, for its acronym in English * Energy * PayBack Time) is the assessment of the energy requirement for the manufacture of a photovoltaic system. Indicates the years necessary because a photovoltaic system generated a certain amount of energy to compensate for energy consumption during its life cycle, including the energy requirements for the manufacture, assembly, transport, installation, operation and maintenance, and dismantling or recycling of the systems. In this * TFG the * EPBT of different types of photovoltaic systems is compared: * mono-Si, fine-Si or thin layer., [CAT/VA]El temps de retorn de l'energia (EPBT, per les seues sigles en anglés de Energy PayBack Time) és l'avaluació del requeriment d'energia per a la fabricació d'un sistema fotovoltaic. Indica els anys necessaris perquè un sistema fotovoltaic genere una certa quantitat d'energia per a compensar el consum d'energia durant el seu cicle de vida, inclosos els requisits energètics per a la fabricació, assemblatge, transport, instal·lació, operació i manteniment, i desmantellament o reciclatge dels sistemes. En aquest TFG es compara el EPBT de diferents tipus de sistemes fotovoltaics: mono-Si, multi-Si o de capa fina.

[ES] El tiempo de retorno de la energía (*EPBT, por sus siglas en inglés de *Energy *PayBack Time) es la evaluación del requerimiento de energía para la fabricación de un sistema fotovoltaico. Indica los años necesarios porque un sistema fotovoltaico genero una cierta cantidad de energía para compensar el consumo de energía durante su ciclo de vida, incluidos los requisitos energéticos para la fabricación, ensamblaje, transporte, instalación, operación y mantenimiento, y desmantelamiento o reciclaje de los sistemas. En este *TFG se compara el *EPBT de diferentes tipos de sistemas fotovoltaicos: *mono-Si, multe-Si o de capa fina., [EN] The energy return time (* EPBT, for its acronym in English * Energy * PayBack Time) is the assessment of the energy requirement for the manufacture of a photovoltaic system. Indicates the years necessary because a photovoltaic system generated a certain amount of energy to compensate for energy consumption during its life cycle, including the energy requirements for the manufacture, assembly, transport, installation, operation and maintenance, and dismantling or recycling of the systems. In this * TFG the * EPBT of different types of photovoltaic systems is compared: * mono-Si, fine-Si or thin layer., [CAT/VA]El temps de retorn de l'energia (EPBT, per les seues sigles en anglés de Energy PayBack Time) és l'avaluació del requeriment d'energia per a la fabricació d'un sistema fotovoltaic. Indica els anys necessaris perquè un sistema fotovoltaic genere una certa quantitat d'energia per a compensar el consum d'energia durant el seu cicle de vida, inclosos els requisits energètics per a la fabricació, assemblatge, transport, instal·lació, operació i manteniment, i desmantellament o reciclatge dels sistemes. En aquest TFG es compara el EPBT de diferents tipus de sistemes fotovoltaics: mono-Si, multi-Si o de capa fina.

[ES] El tiempo de retorno de la energía (*EPBT, por sus siglas en inglés de *Energy *PayBack Time) es la evaluación del requerimiento de energía para la fabricación de un sistema fotovoltaico. Indica los años necesarios porque un sistema fotovoltaico genero una cierta cantidad de energía para compensar el consumo de energía durante su ciclo de vida, incluidos los requisitos energéticos para la fabricación, ensamblaje, transporte, instalación, operación y mantenimiento, y desmantelamiento o reciclaje de los sistemas. En este *TFG se compara el *EPBT de diferentes tipos de sistemas fotovoltaicos: *mono-Si, multe-Si o de capa fina., [EN] The energy return time (* EPBT, for its acronym in English * Energy * PayBack Time) is the assessment of the energy requirement for the manufacture of a photovoltaic system. Indicates the years necessary because a photovoltaic system generated a certain amount of energy to compensate for energy consumption during its life cycle, including the energy requirements for the manufacture, assembly, transport, installation, operation and maintenance, and dismantling or recycling of the systems. In this * TFG the * EPBT of different types of photovoltaic systems is compared: * mono-Si, fine-Si or thin layer., [CAT/VA]El temps de retorn de l'energia (EPBT, per les seues sigles en anglés de Energy PayBack Time) és l'avaluació del requeriment d'energia per a la fabricació d'un sistema fotovoltaic. Indica els anys necessaris perquè un sistema fotovoltaic genere una certa quantitat d'energia per a compensar el consum d'energia durant el seu cicle de vida, inclosos els requisits energètics per a la fabricació, assemblatge, transport, instal·lació, operació i manteniment, i desmantellament o reciclatge dels sistemes. En aquest TFG es compara el EPBT de diferents tipus de sistemes fotovoltaics: mono-Si, multi-Si o de capa fina.

[EN] Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) are a significant part of the energy efficiency strategy of the European Union. As buildings represent approximately 40% of the final energy use in Europe, the reduction of their energy demand is key for a sustainable future. This paper takes a qualitative approach and presents data about professional and market barriers, as well as the educational market in relation to the implementation of nZEB policies for new and retrofit buildings in 11 European countries. Different levels of policy enactments and market penetration are reported and are generally found to be more advanced in western and central European countries. Furthermore, gender equality is examined in the building sector in relation to nZEB and presents significant gaps, with a more balanced situation reported in southern Europe. The accreditation and targeted education of nZEB experts is still almost non-existent in the examined countries, and the need for training of building professionals is highlighted as a critical missing component of current policy. This research aims to be the first step towards the creation of educational material and programmes as a mean to accelerate the transition to nZEB.

[EN] Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) are a significant part of the energy efficiency strategy of the European Union. As buildings represent approximately 40% of the final energy use in Europe, the reduction of their energy demand is key for a sustainable future. This paper takes a qualitative approach and presents data about professional and market barriers, as well as the educational market in relation to the implementation of nZEB policies for new and retrofit buildings in 11 European countries. Different levels of policy enactments and market penetration are reported and are generally found to be more advanced in western and central European countries. Furthermore, gender equality is examined in the building sector in relation to nZEB and presents significant gaps, with a more balanced situation reported in southern Europe. The accreditation and targeted education of nZEB experts is still almost non-existent in the examined countries, and the need for training of building professionals is highlighted as a critical missing component of current policy. This research aims to be the first step towards the creation of educational material and programmes as a mean to accelerate the transition to nZEB.

[EN] Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) are a significant part of the energy efficiency strategy of the European Union. As buildings represent approximately 40% of the final energy use in Europe, the reduction of their energy demand is key for a sustainable future. This paper takes a qualitative approach and presents data about professional and market barriers, as well as the educational market in relation to the implementation of nZEB policies for new and retrofit buildings in 11 European countries. Different levels of policy enactments and market penetration are reported and are generally found to be more advanced in western and central European countries. Furthermore, gender equality is examined in the building sector in relation to nZEB and presents significant gaps, with a more balanced situation reported in southern Europe. The accreditation and targeted education of nZEB experts is still almost non-existent in the examined countries, and the need for training of building professionals is highlighted as a critical missing component of current policy. This research aims to be the first step towards the creation of educational material and programmes as a mean to accelerate the transition to nZEB.