Energy Performance Certificate

What can you do to improve the energy rating of your property on the Costa Blanca? Save money on your energy bills? And be more environmentally-friendly? Our blog has a few ideas for you and everything you need to know about the certificate.

How To Obtain An Energy Performance Certificate In Spain

If you are buying, selling or renting a property in Spain, you will need to know about the Energy Performance Certificate.

What is an Energy Performance Certificate?

The Energy Performance Certificate - certificado de eficiencia energética or certificado energético in Spanish - is an official document showing how energy efficient or ‘green’ a property is.

A property will be given a rating from A - most energy efficient - to G - least energy efficient.

Who needs an EPC and why?

All properties will need an energy certificate if they are:

• Listed for sale
• Long-term rentals
• Winter lets for more than four months

Promoting energy efficiency in buildings and homes is part of a European initiative to help protect the environment. By highlighting how efficient a building is, the aim is to promote properties with high-energy efficiency and encourage investment in energy saving.

Is it a legal requirement to have an energy performance certificate?

Yes, it is mandatory.

If you are selling your property, you will need to get an EPC before it is advertised for sale. Estate agents, such as VíllaMía, which are selling properties need to ensure the EPC certificate is clearly visible in the property details. The notary will ask for it and a sale will fall through without this certificate.

Likewise, you cannot legally rent out a long-term property in Spain without an Energy Performance Certificate.

Certificates last for 10 years and will then be renewed.

How to get your Energy Performance Certificate

You need to use an official, registered Energy Performance Certificate assessor to carry out the test and issue the certificate. The tests are carried out by qualified architects and engineers who belong to official provincial associations - colegio oficial.

During the survey, the assessor will inspect or measure:

• Construction materials
• Exterior walls
• Roof insulation
• Floor
• Type and sizes of doors and windows
• Open fireplaces
• Boiler
• Lighting
• Heating and cooling system as well as the energy type used
• Hot water cylinder insulation
• Ventilation system

At VíllaMía we are specialists in long-term and winter rentals, as well as property sales, on the Costa Blanca North. We work with a qualified architect, Rímolo & Grosso, for surveys, reports and energy efficiency certificates.

Get in touch with us for further information about energy certificates for rentals and sales on the Costa Blanca North.

What can you do to improve your energy rating?

There are several ways you can improve your rating while also making your property more efficient and kinder to the environment.

• If you are having a roof repaired or replaced, you could put in thermal insulation. Thermal insulation can maintain a comfortable temperature inside the house in both winter and summer as well as save money on your energy bills.
• If your walls are not insulated, then this is another way to improve your energy efficiency as well as eliminating indoor humidity and condensation
• If you have heating, look at upgrading your boiler and insulating your hot water cylinder
• Seal any unused open fires or draughty chimneys
• Change your lights to new energy-efficient versions such as LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) and CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps)
• Draught-proof your home
• Replace external windows with double-glazed windows
• Add solar thermal or PV (photovoltaic) system to boost your rating and provide green energy

Contact us at VíllaMía for any further information about buying, selling or long-term rental properties on the Costa Blanca North, including whether or not you need an Energy Performance Certificate.