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The improvement of the energy performance of buildings have been an issue in public policy for more than 50 years. On a global scale, the buildings sector accounts for 40 per cent of total energy end-use and almost 35 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, making it one of the most important sectors to focus on for reaching the 1.5 °C target of the Paris Agreement. The topic was first incorporated in European Union (EU) energy policy during the 1970’s oil crisis and is now fully immersed in EU architecture of multi-level governance where the actually policy process could be opaque for people outside the system. This paper analyses by a narrative literature review the academic literature on governance and policy processes around EU policy on energy efficient and zero-carbon buildings. The value of this review is its broader consideration of the policy pathways to reduce the building sector’s climate impact, offering new perspectives and pointing to areas for further research considering all components, their interactions and interdependence.

This paper sets out to explore and explain lobbying on EU policy on energy efficiency, with particular focus on legislation on individual metering and billing of heating, cooling and domestic hot water (IMB) in multi-family and multi-purpose buildings. EU legislation on IMB have been heavily debated for a decade. The lobbying strategy of Sweden, a small Member State, and its allies in the the lobbying coalition opposing IMB was examined, as were different factors explaining the success of lobbying. As for the lobbying strategy, a pro-active approach was taken and a broad normative coalition for lobbying was formed, including MSs and interest groups representing building owners and tenants at national and EU level. Lobbying was addressed towards all key institutional actors of EU policy making. Different channels was used in the lobbying, i.e. non-papers, meetings and the organisation of a ground-breaking seminar in the EP. Lobbying was successful and the IMB provisions were amended in accordance with the position of the lobbying coalition opposing IMB. The success of the lobbying was influenced by several factors, such as (i) a concentrated actor, (ii) a relatively large coalition, favourable (iii) resources and (iv) transaction costs of lobbying, (v) high salience of the issue, (vi) high complexity of the issue, (vii) clear reasoning of the lobbying coalition opposing IMB, and (viii) low degree of conflict.

This empirical study analyses policy change in the area of EU energy efficiency policy by applying the advocacy coalition framework (ACF). The energy efficiency directive (EED) and its provisions on individual metering and billing (IMB) is used as a case study. IMB provisions have rendered substantial debate for almost a decade and the provisions were amended following successful advocacy work of the coalition opposing IMB. The study confirms recent developments of the ACF theory that internal shocks are important for policy change. Policy change have also been influenced by other factors, such as internal events in the political subsystem, policy-oriented learning and negotiated agreements. As for policy-oriented learning, it was manifested in different ways, e.g. the acceptance of the core beliefs and proposals for amending the IMB provisions put forward by the coalition opposing IMB by a majority of MSs in the Council, the EP and the proponents of IMB. The paper also provides critical perspectives on the ACF, that policy change can happen without changes of external dynamic factors and in shorter time perspectives than the ACF theory proposes. Besides contributing to development of scientific theory, the knowledge provided in the paper can inform various stakeholders to better shape their future strategies in advocacy work in EU policy making and national policy implementation.