Energy Efficiency “A”: The standards that should be covered by a home to fall under the highest Energy Performance class.
Do you know what an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is and how to get it?
We often hear the term “energy certificate”, an energy performance certificate, or EPC. But, what is this certificate?
Is it mandatory to have this energy certificate to rent or buy a building, home or apartment? Furthermore, in order to issue this energy certificate, what are the requirements the building should meet? And, ultimately what is the energy certificate all about and what information does it give us?
Is this supposed to be here?
Buildings are responsible for 40% of total energy consumption in the European Union. This sector is widening, which will certainly increase energy consumption. Consequently, the reduction of energy consumption and the use of renewable energy sources in the building sector are important measures needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to enhance the security of energy supply. With the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive of 2006-2012, Cyprus has incorporated into its national law the 2010/31/EU Directive which is aimed at improving energy performance through a number of measures, while taking into account the external environmental conditions and indoor climate requirements, as well as the highest level of cost-efficiency.
The meaning
Let’s cover the basics. The Energy performance of a building is the amount of energy that is actually consumed by the building itself or estimated to meet the various requirements associated with the normal usage of the building This may include, among others, heating, hot water production, cooling, ventilation and lighting. The amount is demonstrated by one or more numerical indexes which have been calculated, taking into account the insulation, technical aspects and characteristics of the installation, the building’s design and location in relation to climatic factors, sun exposure and the impact of nearby structures. Moreover, it takes into accountthe energy production of the building itself and other factors affecting energy demand, including indoor climate conditions.
The Classes
Hence, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) classifies the buildings into different energy categories with a scale from A to G, where “A” represents the buildings or building units with the highest energy efficiency.
The energy consumption of a household depends on 5 main factors:
- High thermal insulation of the shell. That is, the outer walls of the roof and the outer frames.
- A Low-consumption heating system. You cannot even reach the “A” class with a simple heating system such as oil, wood, gas, pellet burners, etc. You should definitely use a heat pump or an Inverter Air Conditioner or more general systems with three to four times higher performance compared to conventional heating systems.
- Low-consumption cooling system. In this case, the same requirements apply as well: high performance, e.g. energy class “A” Air Conditioner or a heat pump with cooling function is ideal for this case.
- Low-consumption hot water heating system. For Cyprus, there is nothing better than a solar water heater. Of course, a heat pump can also be used, but in no case does an electric water heater provide a high rating.
- Bioclimatic architecture of the house. Predominantly correct orientation of the house, reasonable use of the openings, proper shading, natural ventilation etc.
Now you know that in order to get a high-energy performance home, having a good thermal insulation is not enough, as a low energy consumption equipment and an appropriate bioclimatic structure are also necessary.
Energy class “A” home
If you wish to own a home with the highest energy performance, but you are worried of the extra costs and don’t know how it should be designed and executed, CY Energy Homes offers you the solution.
CY Energy Homes constructs all its houses with high insulation and quality standards and equips them with the respective electromechanical equipment to meet the requirements for class A of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation. With the right materials and technical knowledge of an experienced manufacturer, you will achieve next to zero energy consumption!
