What is energy certification and why is it important?

Energy certification is a procedure that measures and certifies the energy efficiency of a building. The result of the procedure is documented in an energy certificate, which contains detailed information on the energy consumption of the building and classifies it into an energy class (e.g. AA, BB, CC). Energy certification is essential:

• Disclosure: It helps property buyers and tenants to assess the expected energy costs of a building.
• Value: a good energy certificate rating can increase the value and attractiveness of a property in the market.
• Legal compliance: a certificate is compulsory when buying or renting.
• Energy awareness: encourages energy efficiency improvements, contributing to sustainability.

The energy performance certificate is also known by many people as an “energy certificate”.

Why is the energy certification scheme changing?

The new regulation aims to make the certification system more accurate, transparent and reliable. The amendments are intended to further harmonise with EU directives and to align with international practices. The changes are intended to improve the credibility of certificates and the accuracy of the data they contain.

 

Key changes to energy certification

The new regulation brings a number of important changes to the energy certification of buildings. These changes concern the following main areas:

 

Mandatory review of certificates

The most significant change is that newly issued energy certificates are no longer automatically valid for 10 years from the date of issue. Instead, a mandatory review date will be entered in all certificates.

• When is a review necessary?
  • Every 5 years: all energy performance certificates must be reviewed at least every 5 years from the date of issue.
  • Within 2 years: if 5 years have passed since the certificate was issued and the property is sold or rented out, the certificate must be reviewed within 2 years.
  • In the case of building conversion: if the building has undergone conversion or renovation works that significantly affect energy consumption (e.g. façade insulation, replacement of windows and doors, modernisation of the heating system), the certificate must be revised to take into account the new energy characteristics.
  • Older certificates: certificates issued before the entry into force of the Regulation are still valid for 10 years, but if they reach 5 years of age and the property is sold or rented out, they must be reviewed within 2 years.

 

Who can carry out energy certification and verification?

Energy certification and its verification may only be carried out by licensed energy certification experts registered with the Hungarian Energy and Utility Regulatory Office (MEKH). It is important that the technician has the appropriate authorisation and registration.

 

Registration and verification of certificates

Under the new regulation, data on energy performance certificates (e.g. address of the property, type of certificate, certificate ID, effective rated output) will be recorded by the energy verifier in the dedicated section of the Climate Gas Database maintained by the National Climate Protection Authority. This register helps the authorities to monitor and track the data.

• Verification: the Authority will verify the existence of the reviews with the assistance of the Hungarian Chamber of Engineers. It imposes fines in case of non-compliance or failure to repair.

 

Exemptions and derogations from energy certification

In certain cases, exemptions may apply to energy certification:

• Financial institutions’ property: in cases where the property is owned by a financial institution and used as mortgage collateral and the debtor has defaulted.
• Enforcement proceedings: if the property is sold under enforcement proceedings.
• Periodic rental: for rental periods of less than 4 months.
• Agricultural buildings: Buildings where the occupancy time of the net floor area according to the intended use does not exceed 4 months per year or the annual energy consumption does not exceed 25%.
• Listed buildings: certain listed or locally listed buildings where certification would significantly affect their character or appearance.
• Other ad hoc exceptions: the law may provide for further exceptions in specific situations.

 

Additional requirements and important changes for buildings

The new regulation also introduces other important requirements for the energy performance of buildings.

 

Obligations for near-zero energy buildings

The compliance obligation for new buildings with near-zero or better energy performance has been postponed 2021. until 30 June, if the building design is not nearly zero or more energy-efficient according to the architectural and technical documentation and the building is put into use after 31 December 2020 (§ 6/B).

 

Thermal insulation and renewable energy sources

The Regulation also answers questions that often arise during the energy certification of buildings:

• Need thicker insulation? The requirements for the heat transfer coefficients (U-value) of boundary structures have not been further tightened compared to the cost-optimal level of requirements since 2018. Therefore, buildings that will be brought into use recently are likely to have been designed with this in mind.
• Is a solar panel mandatory? The minimum renewable share of 25% required by the Regulation can be ensured in several ways. It counts as renewable:
  • Electricity from the national grid (10%).
  • Firewood, biomass, energy produced directly or indirectly from biomass, biogas energy, wood pellets, agri-pellets.
  • Solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, geothermal, hydrothermal, atmospheric.
  • District heating, with a share calculated separately.
  • This means that even a wood-burning stove combined with an air-to-air heat pump can provide a sufficient renewable fraction. An important modification is that for a heat pump, the heat used for cooling can be taken into account between 15 April and 15 October at the latest.

 

Relief from the renewable energy requirement

An important relief is that if the assessment of mandatory alternative systems under Annex 4 shows that the use of such systems is technically and economically inappropriate (no primary energy savings compared to conventional natural gas heating or payback period longer than 10 years), “the minimum renewable energy requirement can be met with increased energy efficiency”. This means that the aggregate energy performance requirement is then of value:

• 76 instead of 100 for residential buildings,
• in offices from 90 to 68,
• for educational buildings will be 65 kWh/m2year instead of 85.

 

Temperature control per room

Temperature control per room has also become a new requirement. When new heating and cooling systems are installed, new buildings must be equipped with self-regulating devices to control the temperature in each room with a floor area of more than 12 m2. For existing buildings, such self-regulating devices shall be installed when replacing the heat generators, if they can be installed without modification of the heat transport and distribution system.

 

Promoting e-mobility

An Annex 8 has been added to the Regulation to help the uptake of e-mobility. It provides that in the case of new buildings or buildings undergoing major renovation, if there is a parking space with at least 10 spaces inside or immediately adjacent to the building, the parking space must have at least one electric charging point and an electric connection every five spaces for non-residential buildings and one electric connection per parking space for residential buildings, provided that the renovation also affects the parking space or the electric network. For existing non-residential buildings, from 1 January 2025, it will be compulsory to install at least one charging point for every 20 parking spaces.

 

The energy certification process – how is an energy certificate produced?

The energy certification process usually consists of the following steps:

1. Data matching and on-site survey: the certification expert will contact the property owner to arrange a survey. The certification assessor will contact the building owner and arrange an on-site meeting with him/her to assess the building structure (walls, roof, ceilings), windows and doors, heating and hot water supply system, and lighting system.
2. Collection of documentation: the professional will request technical documentation related to the property (e.g. floor plans, construction plans, technical specifications), if available.
3. Carrying out calculations: based on the data collected and the on-site survey, the certifier will carry out the necessary energy calculations to determine the primary energy use of the building.
4. Classification and rating: the results are used to classify the building into an energy class (e.g. AA, BB, CC, etc.), one of the 12 categories of the 2016 Regulation.
5. Issue a certificate: the certifier will issue a formal energy certificate, which will include all relevant data, the rating and recommendations for improving energy efficiency.
6. Registration: the details of the issued certificate are recorded by the certifier in the central registration system.

 

First test for new systems

For a new system, the first inspection is due within one year of commissioning. This will be carried out by the energy auditor on the basis of an on-site visit and the documentation provided.

 

Condominiums and housing cooperatives

In the case of a condominium or housing association, a general assembly decision must be taken to order the review, and the results must also be presented at a general assembly.

Important information to know when selling or renting

When selling or renting a property, the energy performance certificate must be presented and handed over.

• Sales contract: The certificate is a compulsory annex to the sales contract. Without it, the lawyer will not countersign the contract.
• Rental contract: In the case of rental, the rental contract must refer to the number of the energy performance certificate and provide the tenant with a copy.

 

Energy certification of buildings is an essential step in the evaluation of real estate and energy-conscious thinking. The legislative changes introduced by the new regulation, in particular the introduction of mandatory review dates, place even greater emphasis on the timeliness and accuracy of certificates. The aim is to introduce a more regulated, and in some ways more stringent, system than has been the case so far, so that building operators can obtain a comprehensive picture of the energy performance of their system at appropriate intervals and of the potential for energy efficiency improvements. On this basis, the Climate Gas database will include a register of those eligible for inspection and of the installations themselves.

We are at your disposal to help you navigate the maze of building energy requirements.

Ask us for detailed information or request a free quote for energy certification today!

See also our references!

By Sándor Domján (energy engineer at ENCO Auditor Ltd.)