Since 2008, it has been mandatory to provide an energy certificate when building or extending a house. The energy certificate can be used to prove that the building complies with the Energy Saving Ordinance 2014 (EnEV 2014). It should be noted that there are two types of energy certificates: the consumption certificate and the demand certificate. For new buildings, a demand certificate must be issued. For older buildings, there is freedom of choice in certain cases. Energy certificates must be available at the request of the authority and at the sale of real estate. In addition, an energy certificate must already be submitted with the building application, without the energy certificate there is no building permit. All regulations concerning the energy certificate go back to the Energy Saving Ordinance 2014 (EnEV 2014).
the essentials in brief
When a building is erected, altered or extended, an energy certificate must be issued. For new buildings, the demand certificate is mandatory. Energy certificates are valid for 10 years.
The consumption certificate is calculated on the basis of the actual energy consumption. The demand certificate, on the other hand, is based on the objective standards of a house.
The energy certificate must already be submitted with the building application – without it there is no building permit. In addition, after completion of the house, the energy certificate resulting from the planning phase and submitted with the building application must be checked again.
Compulsory for new buildings: the requirements certificate
The demand certificate makes statements about the objective consumption of a building independent of the different heating behavior of different persons. This is the only way to compare the energy efficiency of buildings with each other.
The calculation procedure is comparatively complex, the following aspects are of importance: heating technology, insulation, windows, etc. The planning documents of the house are required for the preparation of the demand certificate.
To determine the theoretical energy demand of a building, a building code official or energy consultant should inspect the building. However, it is also possible to have the demand certificate created exclusively via an online query. However, this is not necessarily recommended – more on this below.
The demand certificate also indicates potential for improvement in terms of better energy efficiency. Thus, not only the actual energy condition of a house is determined, but also optimization measures are shown. With the resulting specific recommendations for modernization, energy costs can then also be saved in the future. Here you will find further information on energy-saving heating technology, insulation and well-insulated windows.
Period of validity of the energy certificate
Energy certificates are valid for ten years. After renovation and refurbishment work, a new energy certificate must also be issued if the energy efficiency of the building has changed.
Cheap offers without a home inspection:
The most favorable offers are data collections via the Internet. These offers are available for both types of energy certificates. If they are authorized exhibitors, then this is also permissible for both types. However, this type of data collection often leads to inaccuracies, so energy performance certificates often need to be touched up. In such cases, the responsibility lies with the client. If, on the other hand, the issuer of the energy certificate enters the house and commits this, he is also responsible for the correctness of the certificate. In any case, a walk-through of the house is good for the accuracy of the energy certificate.
No building permit without energy certificate
The energy certificate – as well as the proof of the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV) – must already be submitted with the building application by your architect or construction manager authorized to submit building documents. No building permit can be obtained without an energy certificate. For this purpose, the necessary documents are compiled and submitted by the site manager.
After completion of the construction, the builder must check the energy certificate again. This is because, due to changes during construction, it often happens that the information from the building permit procedure is no longer valid after the construction has been completed. The issuance of a valid energy certificate is the responsibility of the builder, even if the building partner should not further refer to it. Often, the building owner only receives a hint from craftsmen that the energy balance may have changed.
For this purpose, it is best if the client consults the construction manager and has all the necessary documents handed over to him. If the building manager has not already carried out the adaptation procedure of the energy certificate, authorized issuers can be found via the German Energy Agency (see below).
Then, as part of a home inspection, the values stated prior to construction are verified after the home is completed. (This is also possible in the online procedure).
Who is allowed to issue the demand certificate?
Energy performance certificates may only be issued by so-called “Bauvorlageberechtigte”. How do you find the right building submission expert in your area? The best way to do this is to contact the German Energy Agency, which lists energy consultants in a database at energie-effizienz-experten.de.
When is the requirements certificate obligatory? When is there freedom of choice?
In principle, a demand certificate must be issued for new buildings. For older buildings, the following applies: The age of the building or the energetic condition of the building is decisive as to whether there is freedom of choice with regard to the type of energy certificate.
Freedom of choice exists when:
The building has at least five apartments.
The building application for the building was submitted after 1.11.1977
OR
In the case of an older building, the first thermal insulation ordinance of 1977 was complied with
OR
The building was subsequently brought up to the standard of the first Thermal Insulation Ordinance 1977 On the other hand, the demand certificate is obligatory if the building does not comply with the first Heat Insulation Ordinance 1977.
In cases where the heating and consumption bills for the last three years are not available, a consumption certificate cannot be issued. In this case, a demand certificate must be issued in any case.
Theconsumption certificate
The consumption certificate indicates the amount of energy actually consumed by a building. Energy for heating and hot water is taken into account. The figures are given in kilowatt hours per year and square meter of the building’s useful area. As a rule, the last three heating cost statements are sufficient as a basis for the calculation.
Now, however, heating behavior varies greatly from person to person. Therefore, a consumption certificate cannot be used to make any statements about the objective energy consumption of a building. For new buildings, therefore, a demand certificate is always required. Because only with the demand certificate the energy consumption of buildings can be compared objectively (see above).
Cost of consumption certificate / cost of requirement certificate
➤ The cost of preparing a consumption certificate is between 25 and 100 euros.
➤ The costs for the demand certificate amount to several hundred euros (500 euros upwards), depending on the effort involved and the size of the building.
Sarah Völkl hat Architektur studiert und ist seit Jahren das Gesicht von a better place. Mit ihren Videos ist sie bei YouTube vielen Personen schon länger bekannt. Sarah teilt Ihr Wissen jetzt auch bei den Bautipps von Almondia.
