Energy Efficiency in Buildings
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Is there a need to include recommendations for energy savings or improvements on the certificate?

Yes. The Directive states that: "The certificate shall be accompanied by recommendations for the cost-effective improvement of the energy performance."

Author: JC VISIER (CSTB) Date: 04/04/2006

Is there a need to include the CO2 emissions produced by building on the certificate?

This can be done but it is not mandatory. The choice is left to Member States.

Specifically, the Directive states in Article 3 that "The energy performance of a building shall be expressed in a transparent manner and may include a CO2 emission indicator".

Author:   JC VISIER (CSTB)
Date:   04/04/2006

Are there any special requirements for public buildings?

Yes. Public buildings require an energy performance certificate not older than 10 years old and the certificate shall be visible to the public in these buildings. Specifically, Article 7.3 of the Directive states that:

"Member States shall take measures to ensure that for buildings with a total useful floor area over 1 000 m2 occupied by public authorities and by institutions providing public services to a large number of persons and therefore frequently visited by these persons an energy certificate, not older than 10 years, is placed in a prominent place clearly visible to the public."

Author:   JC VISIER (CSTB)
Date:   04/04/2006

Which buildings are exempted from energy performance certification?

Member States may exclude the following types of buildings from certification (Article 4):

  • "buildings and monuments officially protected as part of a designated environment or because of their special architectural or historic merit, where compliance with the requirements
  • would unacceptably alter their character or appearance,
  • buildings used as places of worship and for religious activities,
  • temporary buildings with a planned time of use of two years or less, industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand and non residential agricultural buildings which are in use by a sector covered by a national sectoral agreement on energy performance,
  • residential buildings which are intended to be used less than four months of the year,
  • stand-alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50 m2."

Author:   JC VISIER (CSTB)
Date:   04/04/2006

What type of buildings is subject to energy performance certification?

All buildings which are constructed, rented or sold out require an energy performance certificate (Article 7(1)).

The production of a certificate does not generally depend on the type or size of the building.

Furthermore Member States may exclude some types of buildings as stated in article 4(3).

Author:   JC VISIER (CSTB)
Date:   04/04/2006

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