9. Households: Trends and Perspectives

The household final energy consumption in the EU-28 was 26.2 % of the total (with Serbia achieving almost 37 %) in 2012. According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) statistics for energy balance for 2004–2005, the residential sector accounted for 27 % of the final energy use throughout the world. Starting with these average data, a more detailed study is necessary to show the dissimilarities of performance and energy consumption in Mediterranean households, considering concepts such as energy poverty, housing deprivation, and the rate of overcrowding. The analysis is completed by taking into account a wider range of environmental indicators related to the household sector, such as CO₂ emissions and concentration, etc. In addition, the energy efficiency requirements in building codes and policies to achieve net zero energy buildings (nZEBs)—is a technical concept accepted worldwide, put the focus on new building technologies and on the refurbishment of existing buildings. Upgrading the energy performance of homes offers immediate benefits and helps reduce energy poverty. It also expands the potential for providing additional homes in existing communities while saving energy, land, and materials. These topics will be analyzed according to the temperate climatic conditions of the Mediterranean area.