The energy certificate provides information on the energy quality of a building. It is intended to create more transparency on the real estate market and provide additional incentives to realize more of the considerable energy-saving potential that exists in existing buildings. Energy modernization and refurbishment measures can not only significantly reduce heating costs, but also make a major contribution to climate protection. The Building Energy Act (GEG) (formerly the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV)) basically provides two variants for energy certificates for existing buildings, namely the demand-oriented or the consumption-oriented certificate. Which one is to be issued depends on the size, use, age and energy quality of the building. Listed buildings are exempt from the obligation to issue a certificate when they are sold, rented, leased or rented out.
Energy certificates must be registered with the German Institute for Building Technology and are valid for 10 years. After that, they must be reissued. Energy certificates also lose their validity if a building is fundamentally modernized or extended and proof of the total primary energy requirement is provided in the process.
Energy certificates for new and existing buildings may only be issued in conjunction with training/education (Section 88 (2) GEG) in accordance with Section 88 (1) GEG (formerly Section 21 (1) EnEV) by a person who has
- has acquired a professionally qualified university degree
in one of the fields of architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering, technical building equipment, physics, building physics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or another technical or scientific field with a training focus in the aforementioned fields. - Prerequisites for registration in the register of skilled crafts are fulfilled by
for a building, finishing or plant engineering trade subject to licensing or for chimney sweeping, as well as a person who has acquired a master craftsman's title for a trade not subject to licensing in these fields and a person who is entitled to independently exercise a trade subject to licensing in this field without a master craftsman's title on the basis of his training, - is a state-recognized or certified technician,
whose training focus also includes the assessment of the building envelope, the assessment of heating and water heating systems or the assessment of ventilation and air conditioning systems.
A prerequisite for the issuance authorization is also an additional qualification according to § 88 para. 2 GEG (formerly § 21 para. 2 EnEV):
- a major in studies or min. 2 years of professional experience in the field of energy-saving construction,
- a training course in the field of energy-saving construction according to Annex 11 GEG. The differentiation of the authorizations for residential buildings and for non-residential buildings will henceforth be made according to the areas to which the training/education according to § 88 para. 2 GEG extends (§ 88 para. 3 GEG). If the content of the additional training pursuant to Section 88 (2) No. 2 GEG was limited to residential buildings only, there is only the authorization to issue energy performance certificates for residential buildings,
- or a public appointment as a sworn expert.
Independently of this, an authorization to submit building documents or certificates for new buildings in accordance with state law also entitles the holder to issue such documents within the scope of the respective authorization to submit building documents (Art. 61 Bavarian Building Code - BayBO). An additional qualification is no longer required for this. In addition, there are transitional regulations for certain persons for the exhibition authorization in accordance with § 113 GEG, formerly § 29 Para. 4, 5 and 6 EnEV. No separate official authorization or registration is required for the issuing authorization.
More information on the energy certificate can be found under "Further links".
The district administrative authorities in Bavaria answer basic questions about energy refurbishment and about trained local energy consultants.