Historically, Norwegian building-construction policies have been part of the state’s welfare policy. After 2000, a new conceptualisation of buildings emerged in Europe. Buildings were now regarded as a part of the energy system. The term ‘energy performance of buildings’ covers both the thermal quality of the building envelope and on-site energy production. In 2002 the EU developed an Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, while EU state aid regulations constrained national support schemes directed at fostering buildings with high energy performance. The building construction industry is a loosely coupled industry, and by year 2000 building construction was rather de-politicized. Although governmental regulations tend to be developed by governmental organisations and research communities in collaboration, political executives have, from time to time after year 2000, engaged directly in the development policy regarding energy performance of buildings. This report explores: 1) Why have Norwegian governments, in the period between 2000 and 2008, developed four strains of policies directed toward promoting buildings with high energy performance? 2) How did the European environment, the building construction sector (industry and governmental regulators) and the Norwegian governmental hierarchical steering intervene and shape the outcomes?