​ IT

Energy Certification

Energy Certification is an evaluation procedure culminating in a final document, the aim of which is to promote the upgrading of energy use in buildings through the information provided to owners and occupiers concerning their energy consumption requirements with regard to heating, hot water and air conditioning, with particular reference to the employment of renewable energy.

The document verifies the energy performance (APE) and qualification (AQE) of a building; from this it is possible to work out how to upgrade the building’s overall energy efficiency.

With the publication of the legal decree (63/2013) in the official Gazette, the former energy certificate was replaced by a new certificate (APE), valid for 10 years produced by a accredited assessor at local and regional level.

The energy certificate is required for all new builds, for the sale or rent of housing, as well for the advertising of premises by estate agents and, in certain regions, it is also required for building conversions.

The certificate lists the main indicators of energy performance, in particular:

• Specific need for primary energy (EPH): the building’s energy class is awarded through this parameter. It expresses the energy needs for heating the building, taking into consideration all the factors relating to the heating plant. The lower the value the higher the energy performance;
• Specific need for winter air conditioning (EH): this represents the quality of the building’s interior (walls, fixtures, roof) and expresses the energy need for heating. The lower the value, the less energy is required to heat the premises;
• Specific need for summer air conditioning (EC);
• Specific energy need for heating water (EPW): through this parameter one can discover the amount of energy needed for water heating. This depends on effective surface area of the premises and its use (residential, hotel, offices etc.).
• Total specific energy need for air conditioning, heating and hot water (EPT): this is the factor that expresses the energy need for heating (EPH), plus the factor expressing the energy requirements for water heating (EPW).
• Energy contribution from renewable resources (EFER): the factor that expresses the energy contribution from renewable resources (solar panels for water heating, photovoltaic plant for electricity and so on).

The APE certificate is needed for access to financial incentives for all kinds of upgrades, and the technical expenses involved in its compilation can also be detracted for tax purposes.

For more information: D.Lgs. 192/2005, il DPR 59/2009, il D.L. 63/2013, la Legge 10/91, UNI/TS 11300 (parti 1,2,3,4, 5, 6), UNI 10349:2016 (parti 1-2-3) e s.m.i.