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Energy Performance Certificates: Labelling in society and new buildings
KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Civil and Architectural Engineering, Building Technology and Design.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5438-2900
2026 (English)Licentiate thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Energy Labeling Buildings – A commentThis thesis investigates energy regulation in Sweden and its consequences forenergy efficiency in buildings.The first study and article contribute to defining the current energyconsumption baseline for buildings in Sweden. The data used for the analysisare extracted from the database of the Swedish National Board of Housing,Building and Planning and consists of 186,021 measured energy performancecertificates issued for commercial buildings (355 Mm2), collected during2007–2015.The results from that study for certain building types, construction periods,climate zones and energy use are presented. Building codes have influence onthe building’s energy performance. When new building codes have beenadopted and energy performance requirement have been stricter the measuredenergy consumption has been lowered compared to buildings built earlier.New buildings have nevertheless often higher energy consumption thanstipulated by the building code.The first Swedish Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) that were studiedwere quite reliable because they were based on energy bills and not ontheoretical calculations. This has now changed and are now aligned with EUregulation.The second article and study focuses on the Swedish building code regardingthe energy consumption of buildings, and the calculation of which should beincluded in a building permit. The energy performance certificate (EPC) of abuilding documents the actual energy performance, which provides anopportunity to compare the actual energy consumption with what was plannedand what was built. Here, this comparison is done for buildings in the city ofStockholm raised in the period from 2010 to 2015.

The first observation in this second study was that in official listings as thetaxation register, the EPC database and the building permits, data files aremissing. It would be useful to coordinate and develop the collaborationbetween different authorities and develop a national database with thisinformation.

However, for the buildings with summited documents the mean energyconsumption according to the EPCs is close to what has been requested in thebuilding code. So, in general, the building code is fulfilled.

When the energy consumption according to the EPC is lower than planned, theexplanation relates to changes or miscalculation in Atemp, erroneousventilation flow in calculations or that the EPCs are only based on calculations.For commercial buildings, such as restaurants, server halls, and sport facilitieswith various internal loads, there should be a focus on the total energy demandin building as one unit with the operations in the unit. The EPC should offer anopportunity for follow-up on the planned energy performance.

Abstract [sv]

Energimärkning av byggnader – En kommentar

Denna avhandling undersöker regler för energianvändning i byggnader iSverige och deras konsekvenser för energieffektivitet i byggnader.

Den första studien och artikeln bidrar till att definiera den nuvarande baslinjenför energiförbrukning för byggnader i Sverige. Data som används för analysenär hämtade från Boverkets databas och består av 186 021 uppmättaenergicertifikat utfärdade för kommersiella byggnader (355 Mm²), insamladeunder 2007–2015.

Resultaten från den studien för vissa byggnadstyper, byggperioder,klimatzoner och energianvändning presenteras. Byggnadsnormer påverkarbyggnadens energiprestanda. När nya byggregler har antagits och kraven påenergiprestanda blivit strängare har den uppmätta energiförbrukningen sänktsjämfört med tidigare byggda byggnader. Nya byggnader har dock ofta högreenergiförbrukning än vad byggreglerna föreskriver.

De första svenska energideklarationerna som studerades var ganskatillförlitliga eftersom de baserades på energiräkningar och inte på teoretiskaberäkningar. Det har nu ändrats och är nu anpassat till EU:s lagstiftning därberäknade värden används.

Den andra artikeln och studien fokuserar på den svenska byggnormenavseende byggnaders energiförbrukning och energiberäkningen som ingår somunderlag till bygglovet. Energideklarationen upprättas två år efter attbyggnaden är uppförd och dokumenterar den faktiska energiprestandan, vilketger möjlighet att jämföra den faktiska energiförbrukningen med det somplanerats och det som byggts. Här jämfördes underlag för byggnader iStockholms stad uppförda under perioden 2010 till 2015.

Den första observationen var att officiella listor från Skatteverket,energideklarationsdatabasen och bygglovsdatafilerna inte stämde överens - detsaknades underlag. Det vore bra att samordna och utveckla samarbetet mellanolika myndigheter och utveckla en nationell databas.

Men för byggnader med sammanställda dokument ligger den genomsnittligaenergiförbrukningen enligt energideklarationen nära vad som efterfrågats ibyggnormen och som redovisats i beräkningar vid bygglovsansökan. Så iallmänhet är byggreglerna uppfyllda.När energiförbrukningen enligt Energideklarationen (EPC) är lägre änplanerat, förklaras detta av förändringar eller felberäkningar i Atemp, felaktigtventilationsflöde i beräkningar eller att EPC:erna enbart baseras påberäkningar.

För kommersiella byggnader, såsom restauranger, serverhallar ochidrottsanläggningar med olika interna laster, bör det vara fokus på det totalaenergibehovet i byggnaden som en enhet med verksamheten i enheten. EPCbör erbjuda en möjlighet till uppföljning av den planerade energiprestanda.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2026. , p. 53
Series
TRITA-ABE-DLT ; 265
Keywords [en]
Core Topic & Purpose, Energy consumption baseline, Energy efficiency, Building energy performance, Data Sources & Material, Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning database, Measured certificates (186, 021), Secondary data (energy bills), Commercial buildings (355 Mm²), Collection period (2007–2015), Building-Related Factors, Building type, Construction year / period, Climate zone, Building codes / regulations, Energy performance requirements, Findings & Conclusions, Measured energy use/consumption, Limited impact of climate zone, Adaptation to local climate, New buildings vs. building code, Stricter requirements and lower consumption, Stakeholders & Application, Public authorities, Energy efficiency policy, Business strategy (for authorities), Energy policy planning, Data reliability
National Category
Civil Engineering
Research subject
Civil and Architectural Engineering, Building Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-376599ISBN: 978-91-8106-536-7 (print)OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-376599DiVA, id: diva2:2037425
Presentation
2026-03-06, Stora konferensrummet, M108, Brinellvägen 23, KTH Campus, public video conference link [MISSING], Stockholm, 13:00 (Swedish)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Knowledge FoundationVattenfall AB
Note

QC 20260216

Available from: 2026-02-16 Created: 2026-02-10 Last updated: 2026-02-16Bibliographically approved
List of papers
1. Energy mapping of existing building stock in Sweden - Analysis of data from Energy Performance Certificates
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Energy mapping of existing building stock in Sweden - Analysis of data from Energy Performance Certificates
2017 (English)In: Energy and Buildings, ISSN 0378-7788, E-ISSN 1872-6178, Vol. 153, p. 341-355Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study contributes to defining the current energy consumption baseline for buildings in Sweden. The data used for the analysis are extracted from the database of the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning and consists of 186,021 measured energy performance certificates issued for commercial buildings (355 Mm(2)), collected during 2007-2015. The results from this study for certain building types, construction periods, climate zones and energy use is presented. Building codes have influence of the buildings energy performance. When new building codes have been adopted and energy performance requirement been stricter the measured energy consumption have been lowered compared to buildings built earlier. New buildings have nevertheless often higher energy consumption than stipulated by the building code. Climate zone have less impact on energy consumption than type of building. Building units in the warmer climate zones generally have slightly lower energy consumption than those in colder zones. This implies that the buildings are well adapted to the climates at hand. The results may help public authorities to plan future business strategies and energy policies. The Swedish Energy Performance Certificates are quite reliable because they are based on energy bills and not on theoretical calculations.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2017
Keywords
Energy performance certificates, Commercial buildings, Rental premises, Office, Schools, Healthcare, Sport, Hotels and restaurant, Industries
National Category
Building Technologies Energy Engineering
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-217189 (URN)10.1016/j.enbuild.2017.06.073 (DOI)000412959600028 ()2-s2.0-85027982956 (Scopus ID)
Funder
Knowledge FoundationVattenfall AB
Note

QC 20171102

Available from: 2017-11-02 Created: 2017-11-02 Last updated: 2026-02-12Bibliographically approved
2. Planned versus outcome – Energy in buildings
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Planned versus outcome – Energy in buildings
(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The Swedish building code has rules regarding the energy consumption of buildings, a calculation of which should be included in a building permit. The energy performance certificate (EPC) of a building documents the actual energy performance, which provides an opportunity to compare the actual energy consumption with what was planned. Here, this comparison is done for buildings in the city of Stockholm raised in the period from 2010 to 2015.

A comparison between the number of buildings in the taxation register and the number of buildings in the EPC database and the database of building permits at Stockholm city planning office reveals that data files are missing for 86 per cent of buildings and EPCs are missing for 67 per cent of buildings. It would be useful to coordinate the register from the tax authority with the database from the EPCs in order to identify those buildings missing the EPC. Cooperation between these authorities could also be a way to force those who are unable to complete to actually submit their EPCs.

The mean energy consumption according to the EPCs is close to what has been requested in the building code. So, in general, the building code is fulfilled.

It is permitted to produce an EPC based on a calculated energy consumption. However, these calculations have weak connections to the properties of the building and are not useful for anybody.

Deviations are found between the calculated energy performance filed with the building permit and the measured values presented in the EPC.

When the energy consumption according to the EPC is lower than planned, the explanation relates to changes or miscalculation in Atemp, erroneous ventilation flow in calculations or that the EPCs are only based on calculations.

The planning phase calculation should be made available to be compared with measured values and the data from the calculation in the planning phase should be stored in a national database like the EPCs.

Consistent use of a special protocol for the calculations would probably improve the practice for energy calculations in the planning of buildings. In general, we believe that focusing on the energy demand in the building code is a good idea for those buildings with minor internal loads, such as dwellings. However, for commercial buildings, such as restaurants, server halls, and sport facilities with various internal loads, there should not be a focus on energy demand in building codes instead of the buildings as one unit. The EPC should offer an opportunity for follow-up on the planned energy performance.

Keywords
Sweden Stockholm Multi-dwelling buildings Residential buildings Commercial buildings Offices Premises Atemp (heated floor area) Specific energy use (kWh/m² per year) Calculated energy performance Measured energy consumption Energy calculation District heating Ventilation flow U-value
National Category
Construction Management
Research subject
Civil and Architectural Engineering
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-376759 (URN)
Funder
Knowledge Foundation
Note

QC 20260216

Available from: 2026-02-16 Created: 2026-02-16 Last updated: 2026-02-16Bibliographically approved

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Hjortling, Camilla

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