ᐅ Building Energy Act Calculations – Are They Required? And Who Prepares Them?

Hello friends,

So far, we do not have an energy performance certificate or calculation for our new build (single-family house, not for rental). The architect planned with 36.5 bricks, there is a ground-source heat pump, and a central ventilation system with heat recovery.

The general contractor building for us says they never do the energy performance calculation.

The expert we hired to inspect the build (starting in October) says that a calculation is necessary, at least to correctly select insulation materials, wall thicknesses, etc., and that it should come from the general contractor.

Now I am confused, so here are my questions:

1. Who is usually responsible for this?

2. Do I have to commission it myself? From what I understand, I must of course comply with the energy performance regulations / building energy law, but no official from the city where I am building will actually inspect or measure anything inside my single-family house after it is finished, right? And I would only need proof when selling or renting it out – correct?

3. If it is not possible without the calculation, how much does it roughly cost? Can someone share their experience?

Thanks!

That is the responsibility of the general contractor. They must comply with the guidelines (energy standard), which also need to be included in the building permit / planning permission application, at least that was the case for us.

I was randomly selected as a "lucky one" (spot checks, probably done by random selection) to provide proof to the local authority that I complied with the guidelines. I forwarded this request to our architect / energy consultant, who filled out the form, and I submitted it.

So, verification or a request for proof is definitely possible. Besides, I believe that someone has to perform the energy calculations for the walls. I would not expect any issues with a "standard wall construction," where the common practice is usually accepted. However, this might not be sufficient in some cases.

The Building Energy Act certificate is the (now no longer so new) term for the Energy Saving Ordinance, formerly known as the thermal insulation certificate. As far as I know, it is mandatory and in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) it must be submitted to the building authority no later than the start of construction.
Building Energy Act = Building Energy Act.
In case of doubt, if not provided by the general contractor under contract, it must be obtained by the client and is actually required before the offer, as it is essential for the cost calculation.

The thermal insulation calculation (building energy law compliance) is usually carried out by the structural engineer.

In my case, the structural engineer from the site supervisor handled it. I have no idea what the cost is.