Development of a 2nd generation energy certificate scheme – Danish experience

Ole Michael Jensen, Danish Building and Urban Research, Denmark
Morten Tony Hansen, Danish Energy Authority, Denmark
Kirsten Engelund Thomsen and Kim B. Wittchen, Danish Building and Urban Research, Denmark

Keywords

EPBD, building stock knowledge, energy certification, energy labelling, energy saving, knowledge extraction, certificate design, certificate secretariat, dwellings, non-residential buildings, asset rating, operational rating

Abstract

Energy certification as described in the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) will undoubtedly contribute to improving the energy performance of the European building stock. At the same time the Directive offers a unique opportunity to obtain valuable knowledge about the building stock for future surveys of energy saving potentials, compilation of energy saving measures and policy making. However, the knowledge attained will always depend on the quality of the energy certification scheme. Thus, developing energy certificate schemes deserves very careful consideration. This paper describes Danish experience, where mandatory energy certification schemes in operation since 1997 have been updated to accord with the EBPD requirements.

On the basis of Danish experience, this paper will offer some insight about the relationship between data collection, certification procedure and quality control on one hand, and the quality of obtainable knowledge on the other. Also the relationship between the overall quality of the certificate and future possibilities to evaluate the effect of the scheme on the energy performance of the building stock will be discussed.

With this background, lessons learned will be related to the current efforts in Denmark to improve the design of the 2nd generation energy certification scheme. Key issues considered include: How we can change from operational rating to asset rating and how we can ensure the quality of a new certification scheme? How can we make an expressive design to ensure transparency, reliability and ‘saleability’? And how can we establish an efficient secretariat function?