The EPB certificate (energy performance of buildings) is the energy ID card of a building. In Brussels it is compulsory for all buildings that are to be sold or rented
Like the label on household electrical appliances, buildings are classified on a scale from A (very energy-saving building) to G (very energy-intensive building). This makes comparing housing units with one another a lot easier.
Attention, the EPB certificate is not a tool to forecast how much a housing unit will cost in energy. This in fact depends largely on the hours, habits and lifestyle of the occupants. An EPB certificate is not an energy audit either, even it makes certain recommendations aimed at saving energy. |
Since 2011, all homes (of over 18m2) and all offices (of more than 500 m2) in the Brussels-Capital Region have to have an EPB certificate before they can be put up for rent or sale.
It is drawn up by an independent expert trained and approved by Bruxelles Environnement after an in-depth technical examination of the premises. The official document certifying to the energy performance of the building is valid for ten years, unless the energy properties of the building are altered (boiler replaced, for example). In this case, it has to be updated before any further real estate transactions can be carried out. This can be done either by the expert who has drawn up the previous certificate (which will be cheaper as the document only needs a minor update), or by a new expert (more expensive as he has to start from scratch).
The expert trained and approved by Bruxelles Environnement uses a calculation method that takes account of all the energy that enters and leaves the building:
The result of the EPB certification will also depend on the documents submitted by the owner to the issuer. The expert cannot rely exclusively on a visual inspection and needs to find proof based on the documents.
If the issuer of the certificate does not have the necessary documents which prove the presence of insulation or which are capable of furnishing proof of other elements, he will be forced to enter standard values which will negatively impact the final EPB certificate.
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