Hastening the energy saving rate in the built environment is a common goal of both the Dutch and the Greek government within the context of EU2020 strategy. In view of the recast Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) (2010/31/EC), considered to be an important route towards exploiting the energy saving potential of the building stock, this paper conducted an ex-post assessment of the national Regulations on Energy Performance of Buildings (REPB) including energy performance certificates (EPCs), as transposed and implemented in Greece and the Netherlands. Results suggest that the implementation of the new EPBD requirements is still at an early stage for both countries. Similarities in the design of the two national schemes are demonstrated regarding quality assurance systems, while enforcement regimes show contrasting approaches with the Dutch EPCs operating at a voluntary basis. Both Dutch and the Greek scheme present a similar case regarding their low implementability, attributed though to dissimilar causes and external influences. Policy incoherence is another common characteristic traced between the two national yet different administration styles across governance levels, lacking of policy integration and coordination. The evaluation framework sheds some light on the understanding of the policy outcomes and design characteristics of the transposed REPB schemes in relation to the theory behind their implementation, while dealing with regulatory elements verified by observations and experiences, which need to be considered.
