The energy performance 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 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 for 2 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 certificates when they are sold, rented, leased or leased out.

Energy performance certificates must be registered with the German Institute for Building Technology and are valid for 10 years. After that, they must be reissued. Energy performance certificates also lose their validity if a building is fundamentally modernized or extended and proof of the total primary energy requirement is provided.

Energy certificates for new and existing buildings may only be issued in conjunction with training/advanced training (§ 88 Para. 2 GEG) in accordance with § 88 Para. 1 GEG (formerly § 21 Para. 1 EnEV) by a person who

• has obtained a professionally qualified university degree
  in one of the following disciplines: architecture, structural engineering, civil engineering, technical building services, physics, building physics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or another technical or scientific discipline with an educational focus in the aforementioned fields.
• Requirements for entry in the Register of Craftsmen fulfilled
  for a construction, 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 areas and a person who, on the basis of their training, is entitled to independently practise a trade subject to licensing in this area without a master craftsman's title,
• is a state-recognized or certified technician,
  whose training also focuses on the assessment of the building envelope, the assessment of heating and hot water systems or the assessment of ventilation and air conditioning systems.

An additional qualification in accordance with § 88 Para. 2 GEG (formerly § 21 Para. 2 EnEV) is also a prerequisite for issuing authorization:

• a major field of study or at least 2 years of professional experience in the field of energy-saving construction,
• training in the field of energy-saving construction in accordance with Annex 11 GEG. The differentiation of authorizations for residential and non-residential buildings is now based on the areas covered by the training/continuing education in accordance with § 88 Para. 2 GEG (§ 88 Para. 3 GEG). If the content of the additional training in accordance with § 88 Para. 2 No. 2 GEG is limited to residential buildings only, the authorization to issue energy certificates for residential buildings only exists,
• or a public appointment as a sworn expert.

Irrespective of this, a building submission or verification authorization for new buildings under state law also entitles the holder to issue certificates within the scope of the respective building submission authorization (Art. 61 Bavarian Building Code - BayBO). An additional qualification is no longer required. In addition, there are transitional regulations for certain persons for issuing authorization in accordance with § 113 GEG, formerly § 29 para. 4, 5 and 6 EnEV. No separate official approval or registration is required for the issuing authorization.

You can find more information on the energy performance certificate under "Further links".

The district administrative authorities in Bavaria can answer basic questions about energy-efficient refurbishment and trained local energy consultants.