Everything about the energy certification of a house

The energy certificate of a house is an official document that evaluates its energy efficiency of a property«issued by qualified experts recognized by the Energy Agency (ADENE) – management body of the building energy certification system (SCE).»

In this article we explain everything you need to know about energy certification for private properties. Continue reading and find out what it is for, how to order it, how much it costs and how long it expires.

How important is the energy certificate?

An energy certificate classifies a property based on its energy efficiency, on a decreasing scale from A+ (very efficient) to F (not very efficient). Furthermore, by requesting this document you will also receive advice on improving this efficiency and estimating the resulting energy savings.

As we have already mentioned, it is a mandatory document for anyone who wants to sell, rent or buy a house or apartment. But not only that. There are other situations that require the presentation of this certificate. For example in the construction of new buildings and existing buildings, the renovation estimate for which is greater than 25% of the total value of the property.

At the same time, it allows access to tax benefits and specific financing, when available.

👉 By the way, read our article All about the More Sustainable Buildings Program 2023.

How to obtain energy certification

The body responsible for regulating the energy certification of buildings is the Energy Agency (ADENE). To obtain an energy efficiency rating for a property, this agency suggests five steps:

1. Hire a qualified expert. It is necessary to hire a qualified expert recognized by ADENE. The agency itself provides a search tool for qualified techniciansfor the entire country;

2. Collect documentation of the house, which the expert will have to consult. Namely: real estate booklet, registration certificate at the registry office, technical data sheet of the home and real estate plan;

3. Make the visit easier. The expert’s visit is mandatory, so it is necessary to allow the expert to see all the spaces of the house. This way you will be able to collect all the information necessary to draw up a complete report;

4. Follow the process. Be present during the expert’s visit. In addition to being important to attend the inspection, you will be able to receive advice on how to improve the energy efficiency of the home;

5. Evaluate the certificate. Request a preview version of the certificate to be able to see the data contained in the document. It is a way to check whether the information conforms to what was analyzed and discussed during the inspection.

⚠️ Attention! Avoid fraud. These steps, in addition to the request to identify the expert as a professional accredited by ADENE, also serve to prevent fraud. Don’t forget to check the validity of the official document at the end, using the file respective numberon the ADENE portal.

Price, validity and fines

OR cost depends on two factors: the price of the appraisal and ADENE’s fees. Since the price of the appraisal is not fixed, we advise you to request multiple quotes from different experts, choosing the most convenient one.

Currently, ADENE tariffs for residential buildings are as follows:

The energy certification for residential buildings and small commercial/service buildings is valid for ten years. In the case of large commercial/tertiary buildings the validity is eight years. If you miss these deadlines you may have to pay a fine to the state.

It is also required by law to have this document up to date when advertising the property for sale or rent.

The penalty for failure to deliver the energy certificate to the buyer or tenant can vary from €250 to €3,740 (natural persons) and from €2,500 to €44,890 (legal persons), as determined by the art. 35 of Legislative Decree n. 101-D/2020, of 7 December.

Factors influencing the evaluation of energy efficiency

The energy classification (from A+ to F) of your property depends on the analysis of various factors. Among them:

• Year of construction of the property;
• Position;
• Type of dwelling (house or apartment);
• Floor and surface of the property;
• Construction type of walls, roofs and floors;
• Air conditioning equipment available, i.e. for ventilation, cooling and heating and for the production of domestic hot water.

The insulation of fixtures, ventilation, air conditioning and the production of domestic hot water are also evaluated from the point of view of the effects on the property’s energy consumption.