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Frequently Asked Questions.
When do German energy certificates become mandatory? - Who is responsible and who typically instructs the energy assessor to perform an energy assessment of a building?
- What is the typical cost for an energy performance certificate?
- Are different variants of energy performance certificates permitted?
- Which scale is used for the German energy performance certificate?
- What are the criteria to identify modernization recommendations?
- Is there a dominant software for issuing certificates?
- Is there a central database for storing all energy performance certificates?
When do German energy certificates become mandatory?
On or after the 1st of July 2008, the German Energy Savings Act requires that an energy performance certificate must be made available when selling, renting or leasing a residential building built in 1965 or earlier. The energy performance certificate is compulsory for newer residential buildings from the 1st of January 2009 and for non-residential buildings from the 1st of July 2009. Since 2002, the energy performance certificate has been compulsory for new buildings and buildings that have been refurbished in a comprehensive way.
Who typically instructs the issuer?
The national legislation (Energy Saving Act – EnEV) only specifies at what point in time the certificate needs to be made accessible by the owner/salesperson to potential buyer/leaser etc. The legislation does not specify the process (who needs to instruct whom to issue a certificate). According to the experience that have been made, the certificate gets ordered from owners, landlords etc. alike.
What is the typical cost for an energy perfomrance certificate?
At this point in time, it is difficult to reveal the typical costs as the price is highly dependent on the type of certificate (based on measured or calculated values), the type and complexity of the building and the availability of data. We might be able to detect the typical / average costs further down the line.
Are different variants of energy performance certificate permitted?
There are two variants of the energy performance certificate – a calculation based and a consumption based certificate:
- The calculation based certificate is based on a technical analysis of the building.
- The consumption based certificate shows the actual building energy consumption for hot water and heating over the last three years.
The Energy Saving Act (EnEV 2007) allows the building owner a free choice for most buildings between the two certificate variants.
The calculation based certificate allows an analysis of the energy properties of a building that is independent of the energy usage of the occupants, which allows better comparisons between buildings. A legal obligation for requirement certificates exists for new buildings and for comprehensively refurbished portfolio buildings for which conformance to the EnEV was required within the scope of a building permit.
From the 1st of October 2008, a calculation based certificate must be issued for portfolio buildings with less than five apartments and for which a building permit was issued before the 1st of November 1977. Unless in construction, or subsequent modernisation, the heating insulation level conforms at least to the first heating insulation legislation of 1977.
Which scale is used for the German energy performance certificate?
- + enlargeScale for calculation based certificates (asset rating).
The German certificates are all rated on a scale in kWh/m2a, so the specific individual efficiency of the building is displayed on the form. The energy performance certificates for new and existing buildings are identical as well as the certificates for new and existing non-residential buildings. The issuer needs to indicate the reason for issuing the certificate on the first page (new building/ Modernization /Selling etc). The overall look and feel is also very similar. The certificates for non-residential buildings use a flexible scale due to the different usages of numerous building types (Schools, Hospitals, Baths etc.) and provides additional information such as the zones of use of the building in question.
There are figures provided (either within the label or in a separate label) with reference values i.e. for new building single homes, well modernized home etc. These reference values are an important part of the certificate as they enable the reader to evaluate and compare the energy performance of the building in question.
What are the criteria to identify modernization recommendations?
The form with the recommendations is a mandatory component of the certificate and outlines individual cost-efficient recommendations to improve the efficiency of the whole building. The recommendations need to be customized, the use of general lists is not sufficient. If recommendations are not reasonable (in case of a newly refurbished or new building), the issuer needs to record this accordingly on the form. The costs involved with the modernization do not need to be displayed on the form as they are not part of the required information on the certificate. Information on the payback period etc. can be provided within the scope of a voluntary energy consulting service.
Is there a dominant software for issuing certificates?
There is no dominant software to energy assessors. There are a number of different software application available on the German market. The typical costs depends on the individual features, the prices may range from approximately 50,00 - 1.000,00€.
Is there a central database for storing energy performance certificates?
Dena has built up a database in order to keep track of a certain amount of energy certificates and for analyses purposes. It is a voluntary option to upload the issued certificates. The database therefore does not keep track of all created certificates. There might be other databases in Germany as well, buth there does not exist an official database where the upload of issued certificates is mandatory.
