Energy saving measures will be a mandatory part of any new buildings constructed after 2020 thanks to new EU legislation.

The announcement was made by the organisation after meetings held between the European Parliament and council negotiators on November 17th 2009.

As well as offering a high level of energy saving, any buildings made after December 31st 2020 will also have to be powered by renewable sources "to a large extent".

By the end of 2018, the public sector will lead the way on this energy saving project by only renting or owning buildings which fit these credentials.

There will be a number of buildings exempt from the ruling, including small houses with a floor space of less than 50 metres squared, holiday homes which are used for less than one-third of the year and religious properties.

The deal signals the EU's intent to take a stance on energy saving ahead of its member states attempting to reach an international emissions reduction deal at December's Copenhagen Climate Change summit.