What is an energy performance certificate for a building?

Since April 28, 2023, the legislator has imposed the obligation to possess an energy performance certificate. Find out from our article what it is and what information such a certificate presents, as well as who is required to prepare it. We cordially invite you to read it.

Energy Performance Certificate – Definition

As stated on the website of the Ministry of Development and Technology, an energy performance certificate is a document that contains data about the energy demand for heating, cooling, and the preparation of hot water for domestic use. In the case of non-residential buildings, the certificate also includes the energy demand related to lighting.

The energy performance certificate is required for every existing building, as mandated by European law. In addition to allowing the monitoring of energy consumption by a given building, its purpose is to promote energy-efficient construction.

What Information Does the Energy Performance Certificate Present?

The range of data includes basic information concerning the address, year of construction, as well as usable area and volume. More importantly, it includes energy indicators that allow for the determination of the building's annual demand for various types of energy. Therefore, each energy certificate for a building includes the following indicator:

• EP – is the value of annual demand for non-renewable primary energy generated by burning fossil energy resources such as coal, gas, or oil used for heating, ventilation, and preparation of domestic hot water;
• EK – is a parameter defining final energy, which reflects the level of consumption of so-called commercial energy needed for the proper operation of a building throughout the year. The indicators include energy losses resulting from the efficiency of heating devices and the transmission of technological heat or inaccuracies in regulating the devices;
• EU – the useful energy parameter defines both the level of energy lost through building partitions, such as walls, windows, and roofs, as well as energy gains resulting from additional energy received through solar radiation or the presence of people in residential premises.

Depending on the design solutions, the energy performance certificate of a building may also include data on the unit size of CO2 emissions, as well as the share of renewable energy sources in the annual energy demand.

The indicators mentioned above will vary for each building, but it is best if they are as low as possible, which would mean that the building consumes little energy annually and meets the assumptions of sustainable construction.

The concept of sustainable construction is fulfilled by modern housing estates built by reputable developers who readily use low-emission solutions and high-quality building materials. An excellent example is the new apartments in Poznań at the “Grunwald among the trees” estate, which stands out from other investments due to its green surroundings and modern architecture.

Energy Performance Certificate – for which buildings is it prepared?

Until a few years ago, the Act of August 29, 2014, on the energy performance of buildings required the preparation of an energy performance certificate for buildings constructed after 2009.

As of April 28, 2023, due to the amendment to the law, there is now an obligation to prepare this document also for buildings constructed before 2009. The latest regulations indicate that the energy performance certificate must be prepared for:

• Owners or managers of buildings, if the properties successfully undergo the modernization process;
• individual investors and developers – in addition, they are also required to attach a copy of the certificate to the notification of completion of construction or the application for occupancy permit (PnU). However, it is worth noting that this obligation does not apply to residential buildings with an area of up to 70 m²;
• owners or managers of houses who wish to sell or rent the property;
• all individuals who want to sell or transfer cooperative ownership rights to a premises or rent a residential unit. 

As you can see, the energy performance certificate is an important document that shapes energy policy in Polish construction. If you want to ensure that the costs associated with the energy demand of a building are low, it's worth purchasing a verified residential property from a reputable developer operating in the market for many years. Are you looking for great opportunities to buy your dream apartment? Check out the new apartments available in our offer in Poznań. We warmly invite you to get in touch.