This journal article describes how improved energy efficiency and reduced total energy consumption in the building sector have been on the agenda for decades in most European countries. It considers how the energy performance of European buildings is required to by "nearly zero-energy" by the end of 2020. The authors argue that to reach these targets, it will be essential to increase ambition among building owners while encouraging considerable investments. To overcome any risk, a method called Total Concept was developed and applied on a large number of non-residential buildings in Sweden, which is where the report focuses.