A large number of people still wonder what the energy certificate is for, and whether this document is mandatory. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism requests that a property be offered for sale or for rent. It is a measure that was adopted in June 2013 and is in line with European Union guidelines to improve the energy efficiency of buildings in member countries.

In this article, we will try to clarify possible doubts about this aspect and provide information that will be very useful if you do not know how to make an energy certificate. Even if we want to avoid infractions and fines of up to 6,000 euros, it is best to know how these regulations work.

What is the purpose of having an energy certificate for your home?

The purpose of this energy rating of homes is to promote savings and to know the amount of energy a building consumes. This will make it possible to study possible alternatives to reduce this consumption and improve efficiency. In addition, this requirement is also mandatory in the construction of new buildings, as well as in all those that are publicly owned and have more than 250 m².

This label works in a similar way to that of a household appliance, because it will help to have an overview of consumption and to implement the relevant improvements. Therefore, this information is very useful to achieve maximum savings and reduce pollutant emissions.

Which energy rating is best to obtain for your investment property?

The energy rating scale is determined by letters, ranging from A to G, the letter A being for low-energy properties. However, G is the worst assessment that can be obtained and indicates that a building consumes more energy. It should also be added that this document is valid for a period of 10 years, as long as no changes or renovations are made to the building that affect its efficiency.

• Label A, which is represented by the bright green color, is the most recommendable and the one that guarantees the most peace of mind, because it identifies that the energy consumption is less than 55%.
• The B certificate uses the olive green color and is also recommended, as it places the energy expenditure between 55% and 75%.
• If the house is rated C, in light green, it means that the expenditure is between 76% and 90%.
• As far as the D certificate is concerned, which comes in yellow, it should be noted that it is the most common in Spanish homes and indicates that consumption is between 90% and 100%.
• Moving up this scale, the E certificate indicates that the rating can be significantly improved. It is represented by the light orange color and after the pertinent evaluation, it is estimated that the expense is 100% or 110%.
• The F rating is not suitable because it indicates that the energy levels are between 100% and 125%. In this case, it can be identified by its orange color.
• Finally, the G label is the lowest, it comes in red and serves to indicate that it is the worst energy efficiency on the scale, because it exceeds 125%.
  Directive 2002/91/EC provides for this energy certification in buildings, and only a qualified professional is competent to determine it. In order to know which is the appropriate scale, it is necessary to study a series of factors that are related to the useful surface of the property, the degree of comfort, the climatic conditions, the lighting, the air conditioning system, etc.

How to obtain the energy certificate to sell

Another of the main doubts that often arise is how to make an energy efficiency certificate. The first step would be to contact a qualified technician and request a quotation. In addition, the different Autonomous Communities have a register of official technicians if we do not know any.

This professional, before visiting the property, will take care to collect data on the cadastral reference, electricity and gas bills, water or possible reforms carried out. Subsequently, he will visit and inspect the house and, finally, he will enter all the data in a program of the Ministry of Industry to calculate the energy efficiency.

Finally, when the owner has the report, which also indicates how energy consumption could be improved and pollutant emissions reduced, he must represent it to the corresponding body in his Autonomous Community in order for it to be valid.

As for the energy efficiency certificate and its price, it should be noted that there is no fixed amount stipulated, despite the fact that it is mandatory. In this case, each technician is free to establish the cost he/she considers convenient and then add the administrative fees established by each Autonomous Community. The most common is to pay about 70 euros for this procedure.

In short, with this information it is now easier to understand what the energy certificate is for and why it is so important. In fact, increasing the rating of a home is a great help to increase the value of the property and allows us to save a lot of money.

If you are thinking about getting the certificate to sell your home, Inversión Madrid can help you. Contact us and you will receive the best personalized advice.