The energy performance certification comes to be by intending to provide for better comfort and healthier conditions within buildings.
The energy performance certificate is a document that assesses the energy efficiency of a building on a scale from A+ (very efficient) to F (inefficient), issued by the Energy Agency (ADENE – Agência para a Energia, in portuguese) authorized technicians. The certificate holds the information about the energy consumptions regarding indoor climate and domestic hot water. It can suggest improvement measures to reduce energy consumptions, which translates into a positive aspect, particularly by decreasing monthly expenses due to the reduction of energy usage.
It is mandatory by law to have issued an energy performance certificate for new buildings, or old ones from the moment they are placed in the real estate market, either by the owner of the building or by the real estate brokers. The document needs to be presented when the contract is signed (purchase and sale agreement, or lease), attesting the energy efficiency class to which the property belongs to. The energy performance certificate must also be issued if interventions are budgeted 25% above the amount of the existing construction.
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The energy efficiency class is determined by multiple factors such as the location of the estate, the year of construction, the use of the building and the composition of its surroundings (walls, roofs, floors and glazing). The equipment associated with indoor climate (ventilation, heating and cooling), but also with the production of domestic hot water, influence the energetic performance and, therefore, the energetic class assigned to the building.