Certificates issued through Building Certification System increased in the Azores
The Regional Secretariat for Energy, Environment and Tourism, through the Regional Directorate for Energy, registered an increase of 419 certificates issued under the Energy Certification System of Buildings in 2017, compared to the previous year.
In 2017, 2,675 energy certificates were issued in the Azores: 1,555 certificates issues on São Miguel Island, 610 on Terceira Island and 163 on Pico. Last year, there was an average of 220 certificates issues per month.
This certification system allows building users to provide information on their energy performance, which can lead to a reduction in energy consumption costs if energy efficiency improvement measures are implemented and, simultaneously, to increased property value.
Carried out by qualified experts, Energy Certification is mandatory during the construction licensing process, major interventions such remodelling or expansion works, or in the situations of sale and lease.
The Regional Directorate for Energy is the entity in charge of managing and supervising the Energy Certification System of Building in the Azores. It aims to strengthen the training of experts and the supervision of certificates as well as to continue the work that has been carried out to increase the energy certification of regional buildings. The latter goal will be achieved awareness-raising actions and the creation of a new portal that is under development.
The Building Certification System is an important tool for increasing energy efficiency and pursuing decarbonisation and sustainable development goals, with clear effects on the improvement of environmental quality in the Region.