How to use the energy performance certificate to assess the energy efficiency of a building
Not only people, but also properties need to be able to prove their identity. Find out what belongs in an energy performance certificate and how you can quickly determine your data and enter it easily in this energy performance certificate guide compiled for you by our floor plan experts.
Energy performance certificate and energy efficiency
An energy performance certificate contains information that evaluates and officially documents the energy efficiency of a building, taking various parameters into account. A distinction is made between so-called demand certificates and consumption certificates. The distinction results from the fact that different calculation methods and data are used for the respective documents. Basically, an energy performance certificate is a kind of profile for a residential building. Various details can be used to create a picture of the energy efficiency of the respective property. The document may also contain recommendations for cost-effective modernization.
Create energy performance certificate online
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Building Energy Act (GEG)
The Building Energy Act (GEG) stipulates that an energy performance certificate must be available for the assessment of the energy status of buildings. Among other things, it contains general information about the building itself, the type of fuel used, and additional important energy parameters. Newer generation certificates include a graphic that visually represents the energy efficiency class (A+ to H).
Mixed-use properties
If the building is used exclusively for residential purposes, the energy performance certificate is issued for the entire property and not for individual living areas or apartments. In so-called mixed-use properties, the information in the energy performance certificate refers exclusively to the residential area. The structure and information content of the certificate must comply with the applicable GEG guidelines. In addition, the person who issued the certificate must enter their professional title, personal address, and the date of issue on the energy performance certificate. A handwritten signature or digital signature must also be present on the document.
Calculation of a building's energy quality
The first page of the energy performance certificate contains general information about the building in question. In addition to the address, interested parties can find information about the building's technical systems, the number of apartments, and the year of construction. Further important information regarding the use of renewable energy technologies or any necessary inspection requirements for air conditioning systems is also provided on page 1 of the document. This page also indicates whether the calculation of the energy quality of the residential building is based on the specifications of the consumption-oriented or demand-oriented energy performance certificate. If, for example, the energy demand is calculated, it is a demand-oriented certificate. Tenants/buyers can view its key figures on the second page of the document. If the energy performance certificate contains information on the actual measured energy consumption, it is a consumption certificate, the key figures of which are documented on the third page of the document. Regardless of the type of certificate issued, the key figures refer to the annual consumption in kilowatt hours (kWh) per square meter used. The higher these values are, the worse the energy status of a building. The aforementioned graphic illustration on the energy performance certificate shows the current situation and provides an exceptionally good starting point for buyers/tenants. It is important to note that the values never refer to the living space, but rather to the usable space of a property.
What information is important for buyers or tenants?
The guidelines set out in the GEG give the energy performance certificate a high status as a meaningful source of information when searching for a (suitable) property. This document provides both prospective buyers and tenants with important initial information about the energy status of a house, thus giving them a much better basis for deciding for or against the property in question. In particular, energy requirements and the energy source for heating play a decisive role in this context. At the same time, interested parties receive information about the year of construction of the building and can estimate any future investments and, if necessary, forecast financial aspects. If an energy performance certificate for a residential building was issued after May 1, 2014, specifying a particular energy class, the previous owner must also be able to present this certificate. Documents issued before this date that do not contain any information about the efficiency class of a building remain fully valid. The values entered on this "old" energy performance certificate can simply be converted and subsequently assigned to an efficiency class. However, the values are often difficult to determine or read from the available documents, which means that an accurate assessment can only be achieved with a considerable amount of time and effort. For this reason, the government has made a working aid available for download on the Internet. Do you also need an energy performance certificate to sell or rent your property? Then work with our energy performance certificate partner to create one quickly and easily online. (All information has been compiled to the best of our knowledge without any claim to completeness).
All information has been compiled to the best of our knowledge. However, we cannot accept liability for the details.
