The purpose of the energy performance diagnosis is to provide information on the energy performance of a building or a home. The ECD evaluates its energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. It is framed by the European directive in force, which encourages companies to move towards an energy transition approach.
What is ECD?
Energy performance diagnosis is subject to strict regulations. It precisely describes the building or housing, its structure (materials, walls, windows, surface orientation), its heating and hot water production system, as well as its type of ventilation.
The diagnosis provides information on the amount of energy consumed, based on the invoices provided by the company. If these cannot be transmitted, the ECD is performed on the basis of a standard energy consumption, according to the characteristics of the building or house.
Environmental labels linked to energy performance diagnostics
The energy performance diagnosis follows 2 labels, each composed of 7 classes from A to G, class A being the best grade that can be attributed to a building.
The energy label is used to know the primary energy consumption of the building. The second, the climate label, indicates the amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
The energy label makes it possible to inform any owner, lessor or tenant about the energy consumption of a building. It allows users to measure their impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and to plan, if necessary, insulation renovations or overall improvements in energy efficiency.
How is the energy performance diagnosis performed?
An energy performance diagnosis must be established by a professional. He will be able to evaluate the precise and real consumption of the buildings, which depends very directly on the use of the buildings and the heating temperature.
Indeed, the estimated consumptions do not make it possible to establish a contractual guarantee. They are nevertheless useful for a seller wishing to compare his home with other buildings for sale or rent.
The energy performance diagnosis is also made up of recommendations allowing the buyer or owner to obtain advice on how to perform energy savings. These may be recommendations for renovations, but they are not mandatory. The ECD also provides recommendations for the use and management of buildings.
The energy performance diagnosis is valid for 10 years.
Find a professional diagnoseer
The energy performance diagnosis must be performed by a professional. This one must indeed meet specific requirements. Some non-certified professionals can offer to perform an energy diagnosis. Be careful, these assessments are not regulated by law and therefore will not be valid in case of resale of your buildings.
To find a certified diagnostician, turn to an independent professional who meets the skill requirements and is covered by appropriate insurance. A certification delivered by the COFRAC is indeed mandatory since 2007 to perform energy performance diagnostics.
In France, more than 8000 professionals are referenced for performing energy performance diagnostics.
ECD construction: a mandatory diagnosis for new buildings
The energy performance diagnosis is made mandatory for all new buildings and new building extensions. It makes it possible to certify that the building’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are in line with the conventions in force, and with the annual energy costs of the construction.
ECD sale: what obligations?
The diagnosis of energy performance is also mandatory in the context of the sale of a building or an enclosed and covered housing.
The seller must deliver the ECD to the buyer as an appendix to the preliminary contract, i.e. the promise to sell or the preliminary sales agreement. The performance of the energy performance diagnosis is at the expense of the seller. It must be available for consultation by the buyer before the validation of the sale.