Pursuant to Royal Decree 235/2013, which passes the basic procedure for the certification of the energy efficiency of buildings, a new obligation is established. As of June 2013, anyone who wishes to sell or rent their property in Spain will be required to obtain an Energy Efficiency Certificate that describes the efficiency and quality of their energy consumption. This certificate will be valid for 10 years.

Until now, this certificate was only mandatory for new buildings or important restorations. However, with this new regulation, and according to the R.D. 238/2013, this procedure is now applicable to:

1. new construction buildings
2. modifications, alterations or renovations of existing buildings with a useful floor area of over 1,000 m², in which more than 25 percent of their total closings are renewed
3. buildings or existing building units that are sold or leased to a new tenant
4. buildings or building units in which a public authority occupies a total useful floor area of over 250 m² and are frequently visited by the public

On the other hand, we can also find exceptions on certain buildings and protected monuments, places of worship, homes in which the duration of the lease agreement is less than four months per year, buildings purchased for major renovations or demolition, etc.

In short, the owners intending to sell or rent their homes will have to obtain and provide the new buyers or tenants with this new certificate.

What is the energy efficiency certificate?

The Energy Efficiency Certificate is a way of quantifying and qualifying the energetic quality of the property that is being sold or rented. The information is presented through a colour-coded scale which ranges from A (being the most efficient) to G (being the less efficient), determining the state the energy system of each home or building.

It is the owner´s responsibility to obtain this mandatory certificate and pay the certificate costs, which are still unknown, but which will depend on the Company issuing the certificate.