When buying a house it is important to know how much energy it consumes and how much CO2 it emits into the atmosphere. It is here where the Energy Certificate or Energy Efficiency Certificate plays a fundamental role, as it tells us what energy consumption the house will have, something of great importance, not only for the care of the environment, but also for our pocket.
What is the Energy Certificate?
The Energy Certificate is a compulsory document for any real estate transaction for sale or rent in which the data of the property is collected and in which the energy consumption and efficiency of the property is certified.
Thus, this document contains all the information about the property regarding its energy efficiency, as well as the recommendations that could improve the energy characteristics of the property and with which a lower consumption and greater energy efficiency could be achieved.
What is the Energy Certificate for?
The main purpose of this document is to provide information on the energy consumption of the property. Furthermore, in accordance with Royal Decree 235/2013, this document is compulsory as of 1 January 2013 in order to carry out any purchase or rental transaction of a property, except in some situations in which the Energy Efficiency Certificate is not compulsory. In this way, the buyer will be able to make an estimate of how much money he/she will have to invest in paying for the property’s utilities.
Therefore, this document is essential in order to be able to register the purchase and sale of the property in the Land Registry.
How to obtain an Energy Certificate: steps to follow
The Energy Certificate is a document that must be issued by a civil engineer who carries out some steps. These are the following:
- Observe the characteristics of the building: depending on the year of construction of the building, the insulation of the building will be higher or lower. In addition, the height of the house should be taken into account, since, if it is an attic or a first floor, the energy consumption will be higher. The orientation of the façade and the elements in front of it, such as trees, other buildings, and any other element that casts shade on the house, should also be observed.
- Observe the characteristics of the dwelling: measurements should be taken and a dimensioned plan should be drawn up. In addition, the weak points (window openings, window materials, etc.) of the building through which heat or cold can enter the building should be taken into account.
- Installations of the house: that is: the heating, hot water and air conditioning installations.
Without a doubt, the Energy Certificate is a fundamental document that will not only tell us what consumption a property has, but will also help us to see the weak points of the property and to be able to achieve a more efficient home.