The aim of this section is to help you understand >the process of obtaining an energy efficiency certificatecontact us and we will try to answer your question as soon as possible.

• WHAT DOES THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY CERTIFICATE INDICATE?:
  
  The certificate demonstrates the energy performance of a property and indicates how energy efficient it is. The result is summarized in a label very similar to the one that we are used to seeing on electrical appliances. With a color code, it will classify the property according to a scale that goes from “A” (lower consumption and so better) to “G” (higher consumption).


• WHERE WILL THE CERTIFICATE BE SHOWED?:
  
  The label provided by the certification must appear in any sale or rental advertisement along side the rest of the information about the property. It will be delivered to the buyer in case of a buying and selling contract and it will be presented to or a copy will be delivered to the tenant in case of rental contract as well.


• WHICH PROPERTIES MUST HAVE THE CERTIFICATE?:
  
  All buildings for sale or rent. If your property was built after 2007, it should have its energy certificate already.


• HOW LONG IS IT VALID FOR?:
  
  The energy efficiency certificate is valid for 10 years, after which if the property needs to be rented or sold it should be certificated again. If some refurbishment is done in the building that can improve its energy efficiency, it is recommended that the building is recertified in case of new sale/rent.


• HOW IS THIS CERTIFICATE UNDERTAKEN?:
  
  An authorized technician must visit the property and take the necessary data with which to produce, issue and sign the certificate. In the report the technician will include, for information, where there is energy inefficiency due to poor condition of the building, with possible improvements being identified that could improve the property rating


• DO I NEED TO REGISTER THIS CERTIFICATE?:
  
  That certificate must be recorded in the corresponding Autonomous administration.


• WHY HAS THIS REAL DECREE BEEN DICTATED?:
  
  This regulation comes from European directive (2002/91/CE) that is already applied in the rest of the European Union countries. Spain has a delay in the application of this normative which objective is to reduce the emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere.
  
  In Spain it is already obligatory for all properties built since 2007 to be issued with a certificate. With this Real decree a new step is done including the homes and establishments that are going to be sold or rent.


• IS IT NECESSARY TO REACH A MINIMUM RATING?:
  
  It is not necessary to reach a particular rating to sell or rent your property. It is an informative label for future tenant or buyers. It is assumed that a good rating adds value to a property.


• WHAT HAPPENS IF THE CERTIFIED IS NOT MADE?:
  
  The buying and selling or rental contract could be declared void as the buyer or tenant have not been informed correctly. The seller or landlord might need to indemnify the buyer or tenant for the damage caused to them due the lack of information provided.
  
  The Autonomous Communities could make as many inspections as they think are necessary to check and watch for the accomplishment of the building energy efficiency certification obligation.
  
  The real decree establishes that the breach of the basic Procedure precepts included in it will be considered as an infraction in the area of the building energy efficiency certification and will be penalized in accordance with the agreement in the applicable legal range regulations. Additionally, it establishes that if the breach of the basic procedure precepts could become an infraction in the consumer and user defense area it will be sanctioned as well as per the agreement in the legislative Real Decree 1/2007 of 16th November.
  
  Article 51 of the legislative real decree referred to, establishes the penalty cost of minor, important or very important infractions, with an increase in cost from 3.005,06 € for minor infractions, to an amount between 15.025,31 € and 601.012,10 € for larger infractions. It is possibility for this amount to increase until it achieves five times the value of the properties and services which are the object of the infraction for the very important infractions.


• WHERE CAN I OBTAIN MORE INFORMATION?:
  
  The best place to obtain more information is the Real decree itself published on the BOE (Spanish State Official Bulletin): http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2013/04/13/pdfs/BOE-A-2013-3904.pdf