Energy performance certification for buildings (EPB) is regulated by the European Directive of 19 May 2010.These directives require all Member States to adopt new measures for thermal insulation of buildings. To meet these requirements, Belgium has introduced the EPB certificate, which evaluates the energy efficiency of a property. Required for selling or renting properties built before 2010, it must be issued at the owners’ request by an approved certifier.
As a regional legislation in Belgium, the EPB certificate varies from one region to another. However, regardless of whether you live in the Brussels-Capital, Walloon or Flemish regions, the aim of the certificate remains the same: to determine the energy performance of a property, regardless of its intended use (individual dwelling, offices, shops, etc.).
A certification required for sale or rent
In Belgium, the owner of a property must have an EPB certificate issued before the property is put up for sale or rent. To inform future buyers or tenants, an advertisement must mention the EPB indicators (the energy class ranging from A to G). However, the buildings concerned vary from region to region. For example, it is required for :
- homes over 18m2 and offices over 500m2 in the Brussels-Capital Region;
- existing homes for which planning permission was granted before1 May 2010 in Wallonia;
- houses, flats, small non-residential buildings and collective residential buildings in Flanders.
What kind of information is given in this document?
Unlike an energy audit, EPB certification does not indicate the actual energy cost of a property, which depends in particular on how it is used by the occupants. It simply states :
- its energy performance, which depends on a number of criteria ;
- recommendations for work to be done to improve this performance (better insulation of pipe systems and single points, for example).
Its role is to inform future renters or buyers, giving them a point of comparison between several properties.
In practice, this indicative document looks like those labels that you find on electrical household equipment. Once again, its form is not the same from one region of Belgium to another. But the letters and colours used are similar:
- the letters A+, A, B and C are in green ;
- the letters D and E are in yellow and orange;
- the letter G is in red.
This certificate provides an overall assessment of a building’s energy performance, based on the amount of energy produced by the systems:
- heating ;
- hot water ;
- cooling (where available) ;
- ventilation ;
- lighting.
The calculation then considers a number of criteria:
- the thermal insulation of a building ;
- its ventilation and airtightness ;
- self-generation of energy (photovoltaic panels, for example);
- the presence of renewable energy sources
- the characteristics and performance of the systems mentioned above.
It does not include the current uses of residents. This is why it is an indicative and informative (but obligatory) document.
How to obtain the EPB certificate?
Whatever the region of Belgium, EPB certification must be issued by an approved certifier appointed by the property owner. To facilitate the work of the certifier, the visit must be prepared by compiling documents that prove the energy performance of the property or building. If these are not available, default (and less favourable) values are applied.
To find out more about this certificate and the contribution that our insulation solutions can make to a building’s rating, don’t hesitate to contact us!
