dena GmbH - German Energy Agency
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As energy prices rise, energy-efficient buildings are becoming ever more attractive. The Energy Performance Certificate documents a building's energy quality and provides specific modernisation hints for saving energy. As a tool which enhances market transparency, the Energy Performance Certificate is stimulating investment in refurbishment.
Buildings account for around 40 percent of Germany's energy consumption. This means there is substantial potential for saving energy here. Of Germany's current stock of approx. 18 million residential buildings, around 75 percent were built before 1979 when energy standards were still comparatively lax. There is also huge potential for savings in Germany's 1.5 million non-residential buildings. Everyone benefits from increasing energy efficiency in buildings: owners and tenants, the environment and economy and not least the public purse. The Energy Performance Certificate helps to identify and exploit the potential savings which can be made in buildings.
The Energy Performance Certificate allows tenants and purchasers to estimate the energy costs they're likely to face before signing on the dotted line. The Energy Performance Certificate helps owners make a start with energy modernisation. An Energy Performance Certificate has been mandatory for the rental, sale and leasing of houses and flats since 1 January 2009.
Public authorities can use the Energy Performance Certificate to identify the potential energy savings which can be made in their buildings. Municipal authorities alone could save up to 30 percent of their energy costs if they were to make full use of existing economically viable opportunities for energy saving. Since 1 July 2009, it has been mandatory to obtain and prominently display an Energy Performance Certificate in public buildings with a net floor area of over 1,000 m² in which institutions provide public services and which is therefore frequently visited by large numbers of people.
dena's "Energy Performance Certificate for Buildings" project is intended to inform tenants, purchasers and private and public owners of buildings about the Energy Performance Certificate, while the dena quality mark for Energy Performance Certificates sets important quality standards for the compilation of Energy Performance Certificates for residential buildings. dena's "Building Energy Balance Assessment" information portal is a nationwide contact point for planners, architects, engineers and tradesmen providing information about all issues relating to the building energy efficiency standard DIN V 18599, the various methods for calculating the energy quality of buildings and energy saving regulations.
dena's partner in this project is Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS).
