The energy certificate should show at a glance whether a house "consumes" a lot or little energy. As with electrical appliances, a consumption traffic light must therefore always be displayed in property advertisements. Red stands for poor energy values. Green for good ones. But that is not the end of the story. The legislator has clearly defined which 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, in the case of a new building, no consumption values are yet available. Nevertheless, the building needs a certificate before it can be marketed. The calculation should definitely be carried out by an expert. Because anyone who makes a mistake with the energy certificate or falls for cheap offers from the internet that are faulty risks hefty penalties. Every property owner is obliged to state the energy values of the property when marketing it. This includes all advertisements on the internet or in print media. The exposé is also part of this. An energy performance certificate must be presented at the latest during property inspections.
Why do homeowners need to present the energy certificate to potential buyers?
The legislator has stipulated this. The information in the energy 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?
Here's what the experts have to say: "The two types of energy certificate differ significantly. The demand certificate provides a high level of information on the energy status of the building, since the building fabric and system technology are used as a 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 one's own consumption; a single person who is thrifty, for example, heats a house completely differently than 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 range", it means that little energy is needed for heating and hot water. "From a final energy demand of 75 kWh(m²a), the building comes into a green range, which means that the standards of the EnEV 2014 are met. From 50 kWh(m²a), the building meets the standards of the 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 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. The real estate expert knows through many years of experience who to trust when issuing the certificate and which type of certificate is best suited for 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 Immobilienverband Deutschland (German Real Estate Association), 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 certificate for existing buildings. The more favourable consumption certificates can also be issued based on the consumption values by a heating cost billing company.
Energy certificates do not all cost the same
With the more expensive requirement certificates, costs of up to €300 can be expected, as the effort involved in issuing them is greater and must also be carried out by an expert on site. Consumption certificates are usually no more expensive than €100 per building. In the meantime, it is possible to have energy performance certificates issued on the Internet at much lower costs; all that is needed is the information provided by the homeowner. However, we recommend that you take this version of the certificate with a grain of salt.
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 specified therein
3.) the essential energy source for heating for residential buildings
4.) for residential buildings, the year of construction stated in the energy certificate
5.) and the energy efficiency class for non-residential buildings stated in the energy performance certificate.
6.), the final energy for heat and electricity shall be reported separately.
Do you have questions about the preparation of the energy certificate? Contact us now. We will be happy to advise you.
Photo: JFsPic
