On the 13th of April, the royal law RD 235/2013, passed on April the 5th, was published. This law specifies the fundamental procedure regarding the certification of energy efficiency and establishes the obligation to provide a certificate of energy efficiency to the purchaser or tenant of a property informing about the energy efficiency of the specific property as well as about the relevant reference values and the general minimum requirements for energy efficiency.

1. Who is authorized to issue this certificate?

Architects and engineers with an appropriate further education and experience in processes of certification
A corresponding ministerial order is expected to regulate this issue in the near future.

2. In which legal process will this certificate be necessary?

In rentals and sales

3. When will this certificate become obligatory in the above mentioned legal processes?

On June the 1st

4. Are there any further education measures provided to the affected institutions?

Special training plans and appropriate computer programs will be developed and available in time in order to ease the issue of the energy efficiency certificate.

5. Which is the corresponding authority responsible for the supervision of this matters

The different autonomous regions using a protocol and a register of existing certificates

6. Is this certificate to be issued for all properties?

No, i.e. religious buildings, real estates that are used for maximum four months a year, free-standing buildings with no more than 50m2, industrially or agriculturally used buildings or such that will be acquired especially for refurbishment or demolition are excepted from the obligation to provide the certificate.

7. What are the minimum requirements for energy efficiency?

These are specified in the technical building regulations.

8. Validity of the certificate

10 years

9. Fees for issuing the certificate

The specialists who issue the certificates will set their fees. In other European countries there is a wide range of fees from 150 € – 300 € in the Netherlands and France, 400 € – 600 € in Belgium, 900 € in Denmark up to from 1500 € in the UK.
Experts believe that prices in Spain are likely to be at about 200 € for an apartment and at about 300 € for a detached single family home. In any case, we have to await the evolution of the fees determined by the market.