Mandatory calculation of an energy indicator and issuing of an energy certificate: the regional building legislation of Upper Austria foresees that an energy certificate ("Energieausweis") has to be issued for every new and retrofitted building, which includes the calculation of an energy performance indicator ("Energiekennzahl" - heating energy consumption in m² per kWh and year).

For which product/service is the label used?

The energy certificate including the energy index has to be issued for every new heated residential building and in case of major retrofitting.

By whom and how is the decision for the application of the label taken and which criteria are used ?

The certificate was initially introduced in combination with the sustainable buildings programme in Upper Austria and only compulsory for people who applied for the higher subsidy. Since 1998 the issuing of the energy certificate and the calculation of the energy index is mandatory, regulated by Upper Austrian building legislation and has to be done to gain building permission. The Upper Austrian regulation states which people (construction companies, civil engineers etc.) are allowed to issue the energy certificate and how the calculation has to be done. There exists a standardised lay-out and a minimum content including energetic characteristic features of the building, annual heating demand in kWh per year and the energy index of the building. The heart of the certificate is the energy index of the building which expresses the annual heating demand per m² (useful energy per gross floor area).

Are there any control mechanisms on the market (testing, control, evaluation)?

The energy index has to meet at least the standard according to the Upper Austrian building legislation. For getting a building subsidy (soft loan) a stricter standard has to be achieved.

95 % of all new residential buildings fulfil the stricter standard in order to get a soft loan. For those buildings the energy index is calculated by O.Ö. Energiesparverband to ensure similar treatment of all applicants. In order to train people in the calculation of the energy index and in issuing the energy certificate, O.Ö. Energiesparverband has hold numerous training courses.

How relevant is the label on the market?

The energy certificate is mandatory for new residential buildings in Upper Austria and therefore very relevant. According to an opinion poll in Upper Austria 33 % of the citizens know the certificate. Even 21 % of the people living in an apartment block, who are never directly confronted with the certificate (because it is up to the planner to apply for the certificate), know it.