The latest Energiatodistukset annual report shows that 67% of apartment buildings and only 15% of single-family and semi-detached homes have an energy certificate. In 2025, the number of certificates in the registry dropped by almost one-sixth from 2023, revealing serious shortcomings in certificate availability. The current Building Energy Certificate Act (50/2013) requires presenting a valid certificate to buyers or tenants during viewings, and the government decree (130/2001) obliges marketers to display certificates in listings.
Enforcement, however, is lax relative to the volume of activity. VARKE, which monitors subsidized housing certificates, issued 240 prompts and 71 warnings in 2025, indicating insufficient oversight. The proposed changes to the energy certificate law are directionally correct but could go further. The EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive Article 20 requires energy efficiency classes to be shown online and in print advertisements, which national law should reflect. The association supports broader use of virtual site visits to facilitate certificate processes, while noting that the directive defines major renovations and that national rules should not overly constrain energy-related improvements.
Additional proposals include linking energy certificates to building permits for major renovations (though the directive’s definitions are not explicit), considering energy certificate costs for tax deductions, and introducing a refurbishment passport (Perusparannuspassi) to help financiers assess projects. The Taxonomy Regulation's requirement for airtightness testing in large buildings is seen as important, and certifying bodies should publish these results to align with EU sustainability standards. FINANSSIALA RY (Hannu Ijäs).
← Atlas › News