Energy certification: what it is, who issues it, and how to obtain it

ENERGY CERTIFICATION

The energy certification or APE (energy performance certificate) It is a certificate that anyone who sells or rents a property must have and deliver it to the buyer or tenant. A qualified technician, known as an energy certifier, is responsible for preparing it after conducting a mandatory inspection of the property in question. This allows the building's energy class to be determined (A4, A3, A2, A1, B, C, D, E, F, or G), and if it falls within the former, the property increases in value.

WHAT IS ENERGY CERTIFICATION?

The energy certification is a certificate that indicates the energy performance of a building, energy quality and class, consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and so on. All of this is assessed through an energy analysis, including consumption, type of windows, heating, and other building characteristics. The certificate is essential for rentals and sales and must be provided to the buyer or prospective tenant.

HOW TO GET IT

This is achieved by contacting an energy certifier, a qualified technician who conducts an inspection to assess the property's energy performance, using specific software.

WHO ISSUED IT?

The energy certification must be requested, as mentioned above, to an authorized certifier which uses software to process the various data collected and compile a document, issuing the APE with the property's main characteristics.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST

The cost generally ranges from 150 to 200 euros for an apartment, but can vary depending on the location and other characteristics of the property.

ADVANTAGES

Given that the APE is mandatory for both sales and rentals, it offers numerous advantages. First and foremost, it allows you to determine a property's actual energy consumption. This information is also useful for determining whether it's worth re-rating. A higher energy efficiency rating increases its value.

ONLINE ENERGY CERTIFICATION

It is also possible to request the APE online but Be careful to check that the procedure is entrusted to qualified technicians, whose name and contact information are best known. Don't forget that an on-site inspection is mandatory, something that isn't always specified or performed by online services, even though it's an essential step.

HOUSES IN ITALY WITH ENERGY CERTIFICATION

While in 2013, more than half (56%) of buildings in Italy had energy class G, and class A was the exclusive domain of a measly 2%, the situation hasn't improved much over the years. Suffice it to say that in 2018, class A+, A, and B buildings were still a minority, and the majority of studio apartments (72%) and single-family homes (57%) had energy class G.

ENERGY CERTIFICATION AND HOUSE VALUE

Since the certification places the property in a specific merit class (from A to G), if the building belongs to the first classes, the value can increase by up to a third of its base price.

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date. Click here!

ENERGY SAVING TIPS:

• Save energy with your computer and reduce your bills: simple tips and tricks