Energy Certificate: informative guide

To be able to buy or sell a property it is necessary to have an energy certificate. This serves as a tool for evaluation and validation regardless of the energy performance, for two models of certificates, one for residential buildings and another for commercial buildings. According to ADENE - Energy Agency - said that there are already 1.5 million properties with energy classification in Portugal, however, these figures are still very low. However, you should be aware that you can be fined for not having the certificate. 

#1 Everything about the energy certificate: 
This category of certificate has the purpose of ensuring the energy efficiency of a given property. It is done by ADENE technicians, who analyze and evaluate, and after this process they have a label from "A+", meaning quite efficient, to "G", reduced efficiency. 

It includes:
Information about energy consumption, regarding air conditioning, and sanitary hot water;
Measures to improve energy efficiency, to reduce energy consumption. 

Validity: 
Residential buildings: 10 years;
Small and large commercial and service buildings varies. For small - 10 years, for large until April 2015 - 6 years, after April 2015 - 8 years; 
#2 Mandatory situations: 
New construction;
Buildings in great need of rehabilitation, whose cost of works increases by another 25% of the building's value; 
Commercial buildings with a useful interior floor area equal to or greater than 1000 m2 or 500 m2;
Publicly-owned buildings, with a useful floor area of more than 250 m2;
In contracts for the sale or lease of a property, including rental; 

Exemption:
Industrial facilities, i.e. non-domestic, that have reduced energy consumption, or are enjoying per national agreement on energy performance; 
Buildings of worship or religious activities; 
Non-air-conditioned parking buildings (workshops, warehouses);
Single-family buildings with a floor area of 50 m2 or less;
Uninhabited services and commercial buildings;
Degraded buildings; 
Military and information systems establishments, which are subject to control and confidentiality standards; 
Sale or donation;
Constant home rental by the landlord for a period of less than 4 months;
Donations and inheritances;
Situations in which the tenant has already leased;
In case some insolvency proceedings have already been sold in fractions;

Fines:
They range from 250 euros to 3,740 euros, for individuals;
Between €2,500 and €44,890 for companies. 

#3 Want to get an energy certificate? Follow the instructions below: 
If you are a property owner, you can get an energy certificate, and initially you should contact a specialist in your area of residence. You can use ADENE's pool of experts, and choose the one that is most to your liking. 

Required documentation:
Copy of the floor plan of the property to be analyzed for the certification request;
Caderneta predial;
Certificate of registration at the conservatory;
Ficha technique of the dwelling. 

What is the cost of the energetic certificate? 
They go according to the typology of the property and complexity of the property, plus VAT at the rate that is in effect;

Residential buildings: 
T0 and T1 - 28€;
T2 and T3 - between 40€ and 50€;
4 and 5 bedrooms - 55€;
T6 or more - EUR 65.
Buildings for commerce and services:
Area equal to or greater than 250 m2 - €135;
Greater than 250 m2 and equal to or less than 500 m2 - €350;
Area greater than 500 m2 and equal to or less than 5000 m2 - 750€;
Area greater than 5000 m2 - 950€.

Waiting time: 
Fast process, between 2 or 3 days. Urgent cases can even be overnight.