THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY CERTIFICATE

Royal Decree 235/2013 of April 5, as of June 1, 2013, introduces a new requirement for the sale or rental of homes, which must be required by buyers or tenants, sellers or homeowners , and provided, where appropriate, to the Notary, before whom the public deed of sale is granted.

This requirement is the so-called energy efficiency certificate or document that provides information on the energy efficiency of a building. The purpose of this certificate is that the buyers and users of houses, before occupying them, can know, even in an approximate way, or make a forecast of the cost of the consumption of the house by reason of water, electricity or gas.

We can give a very clear example. I have two rental offers, in the same area. One for 200 euros and the other for 250 euros. If I take the cheapest one, I know that I have the heating on during the day, to reach an average of 21 degrees, I will have a cost of 200 euros per month and in the other only 100 euros. The cost of the second option is really cheaper, for equal use. Well, this certificate is intended to provide information on such aspects.  

The certificate is issued by a competent technician who will examine the property and establish the energy rating, on a scale of seven letters, from A to G, and which is very similar to that found in domestic appliances such as ovens or dishwashers. These letters quantify the energy consumption, from less to more, necessary for ordinary operation, and contemplate the cost of heating, domestic hot water, cooling... In the report, the technician also includes a series of proposals to improve energy efficiency, but They are not mandatory, they are given for information.

The technicians will be the surveyors, architects and engineers, provided they are authorized and it is estimated that the certificates will cost around 200 euros for a flat of about 90 square meters, although the prices will be adjusted according to the market.

The certificates will have a duration of 10 years and after that time they will have to be renewed.

The requirement of the energy efficiency certificate is waived in the case of transfers and leases of the following buildings: a) Buildings and monuments officially protected because they are part of a declared environment or because of their particular architectural or historical value. b) Buildings or parts of buildings used exclusively as places of worship and for religious activities. c) Provisional constructions with an expected term of use equal to or less than two years. d) Industrial, defense and agricultural buildings or parts thereof, in the part intended for workshops, industrial processes, defense and non-residential agricultural. e) Buildings or parts of isolated buildings with a total useful area of less than 50 m2. f) Buildings that are purchased for major reforms or demolition. g) Buildings or parts of existing residential buildings, whose use is less than four months a year, or for a limited time a year and with an expected energy consumption of less than 25 percent of what would result from its use throughout the year. the year, provided that this is stated by means of a responsible declaration of the owner of the house.

Daily practice will clear up the doubts generated by any newly applied standard. It only remains to offer, from my office, our willingness to help all those who will face the new energy efficiency certificate in the coming days.