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As energy prices rise, energy-efficient buildings are becoming increasingly attractive. The dena Energy Performance Certificate shows the energy efficiency of a building and also provides concrete advice on how refurbishment can save energy.
Most drivers know approximately how much petrol their cars use on average. The consumer takes note of the efficiency rating of a fridge or washing machine at the latest when about to buy one. Yet more often than not no objective information is available on the energy quality of a residential building, despite the fact that most of the energy consumed in Germany is used for heating and hot water generation in private households.
This problem can be solved with the Energy Performance Certificate, which aims to bring more transparency to the real estate market and provide all market participants with reliable information on the energy requirements and energy quality of a building. Anyone wishing to buy, rent or lease a flat or house in future will be able to use this certificate for an easy comparison of interesting properties, and will have an important guide at hand which provides orientation and aids the decision-making process.
The Energy Performance Certificate also offers reasonably priced initial guidance to owners planning to refurbish a building. It captures the most significant building data, provides information on the building’s energy status and shows whether refurbishment is in fact necessary. Concrete modernization recommendations in the Energy Performance Certificate can be used to plan the refurbishment of a building or to develop more detailed energy advice.
With the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV 2007), Germany has translated the EU’s energy performance for buildings directive (EPBD) into national legislation, the main concern of which is the introduction of energy performance certificates. To make a harmonized and coordinated implementation of the EPBD possible throughout the EU Member States, a joint European Concerted Action was initiated. dena is Germany’s national representative in this project.
The EnEV 2007 became effective on 1 October 2007, as a result of which the Energy Performance Certificate was introduced in stages for existing buildings in Germany. An Energy Performance Certificate must be provided for residential buildings up for sale or rent. . The provision of a certificate for non-residential buildings became obligatory from 1 July 2009, after which date an Energy Performance Certificate must be placed in a clearly visible location in public buildings with more than 1000 square metres of floor space. The Energy Performance Certificate was already introduced for new buildings in 2002.
dena offers tenants, owners, specialists and other market protagonists comprehensive information on the Energy Performance Certificate including leaflets and brochures, tools for the issuing specialists and information events. The consumer can find a specialist in his vicinity by searching the dena database of certificate issuers. This information is currently only available in German.
More information on the activities provided by dena in respect of the Energy Performance Certificate can be found on the relevant project pages 
and websites.
dena’s partners in this project are the Federal Ministry of Transport, Buildings and Urban Development (BMVBS) and Germany’s energy performance certificate initiative Energieeffizienz-Initiative Deutschland (EID).
For more details in German please see the most recent information on the project .
