What you need to know about the energy certificate

The energy certificate should show at a glance whether a house "consumes" a lot or a little energy. As with electrical appliances, a consumption traffic light must therefore always be displayed in real estate advertisements. Red stands for poor energy values. Green for good. But that's not all. The legislator has clearly defined what information must still be provided and also distinguishes between two different energy performance certificates: the consumption-oriented certificate and the so-called demand certificate. This is because, for example, no consumption values are yet available for a new building. Nevertheless, the building needs a certificate before it can be marketed. The calculation should always be carried out by a specialist. Because anyone who makes a mistake with the energy certificate or falls for cheap offers on the Internet that are incorrect risks hefty penalties. Every property owner is obliged to state the energy values of their property when marketing it. This includes all advertisements on the Internet or in print media. This also includes the exposé. An energy performance certificate must be presented during property viewings at the latest.

Why do homeowners have to present the energy performance certificate to potential buyers?

The legislator has stipulated this. The information in the energy performance certificate provides the potential buyer or tenant with information about the expected energy costs.

What is the difference between a demand certificate and a consumption certificate?

This is what the experts say: "The two types of energy performance certificate differ significantly. The demand certificate provides a high level of information on the energy status of the building, as the building fabric and system technology are used as the basis for the assessment. The consumption certificate only shows the energy consumption of the building or the occupants over the last three years. Unfortunately, it is usually not possible to draw conclusions about your own consumption; a single, economical person, for example, heats a house completely differently to a family of several people who like it warm," says Dr. Michael Herma, Managing Director of the German Association for Building Technology (VdZ).

The greener the better

If the energy certificate is in the "green zone", this means that little energy is required for heating and hot water. "From a final energy requirement of 75 kWh(m²a), the building is in the green zone, which means that the standards of EnEV 2014 are met. From 50 kWh(m²a), the building meets the requirements of EnEV 2016, for example KfW 55 or KfW 70 houses," explains energy expert Dr. Michael Herma.

Let us advise you

Anyone who wants to have an energy performance certificate issued is often overwhelmed. After all, the Internet is full of cheap offers. However, these are not always of good quality. We therefore recommend that you do not save money in the wrong place and that you seek advice from a real estate agent. With many years of experience, a real estate expert knows who to trust when issuing a certificate and which type of certificate is best suited to your property.

Who can issue an energy certificate?

First of all, it depends on the type of building. A distinction is made between residential and non-residential buildings. According to the German Real Estate Association (Immobilienverband Deutschland), persons with the appropriate qualifications are entitled to issue the certificate. For new buildings, the certificate is issued by the architect or civil engineer. This must be presented to the building supervisory authority upon request. Architects or civil engineers can issue an energy performance certificate for existing buildings. The cheaper consumption certificates can also be issued by a heating cost billing company based on the consumption values.

Not all energy certificates cost the same

The more expensive requirement certificates can cost up to €300, as the effort involved in issuing them is greater and must also be carried out by a specialist on site. Consumption certificates are generally no more expensive than €100 per building. It is now possible to have energy performance certificates issued on the Internet at a much lower cost; all that is required is the information provided by the homeowner. However, we recommend that you treat this version of the certificate with caution.

What mandatory information must be included in advertisements for new energy certificates (issued after 1.5.2014)?

1) Type of energy certificate (demand or consumption)

2.) the final energy demand or final energy consumption stated therein

3.) the main energy source for heating residential buildings

4.) for residential buildings, the year of construction stated in the energy performance certificate

5.) and the energy efficiency class stated in the energy performance certificate for non-residential buildings

6.) the final energy for heat and electricity must be shown separately.

Do you have questions about creating an energy performance certificate? Contact us now. We will be happy to advise you.

Photo: JFsPic