The overall and partial EPB indcators, i.e. the quantitative output of EPB assessments, can be used for different purposes: 1) Regulations: to enable the establishment of regulations regarding the energy performance of buildings; 2) Decisions: to facilitate decisions or actions in the private or public domain, and 3) Information and communication: for building designers, owners, operators, users, policy makers and citizens (as sellers or renters, as prospective buyers or tenants). This standard provides a framework for possible ways to express the energy performance, especially for the purpose of setting EPB requirements at the overarching level of the building including the technical building systems and for energy (performance) certification and labelling. This standard is complemented by standards dealing with the same topics at the level of the building itself (i.e. mostly without technical systems), of the technical building systems and of building elements (e.g. building fabric and technical building system elements). Possible ways to express the energy performance for the purpose of setting EPB requirements cover the objectives 1) and 2) above. This standard provides also a common basis and common considerations for the subsequent EPB standards dealing with the same subject for the building itself (the fabric) and the building elements and for specific technical building systems, servicing specific types of energy use (such as heating, cooling, ventilation, domestic hot water and lighting). (NOTE For this purpose this standard is supported by the accompanying technical report, ISO/TR 52003-2 [7] This standard provides a structured and transparent framework for different (non-restrictive) options, enabling direct reference in national regulations, while providing flexibility for regulatory choices.