One-third of homes sold or rented consume energy | internal

Since 2008 it has been mandatory in Flanders to prepare an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when selling or renting an existing house or apartment. This EPC shows how energy efficient the building is.
It turns out that at the start of 2023, the average energy score for all existing homes for which an EPC is available was 372 kilowatt-hours per square meter (kWh/m2) per year. This is energy consumption calculated per year and per square meter of usable floor area. With a score of 372 kWh/m2, you end up with a D grade.

Traditionally, the energy rating of a single-family home is higher (and therefore less energy efficient) than that of an apartment. Single-family, detached homes score the worst for energy efficiency, with a score (average) of 496.

This means that barely 14 percent of single-family homes sold or rented since 2008 achieve an A+, A, or B energy rating. Apartments are more energy efficient: Almost 44 percent achieve an A+, A, or B rating. A third (33 percent) Of the single-family homes that carry the F rating, they are the least energy efficient. This is 9 percent for apartments.

The numbers are not a perfect representation of the energy performance of residences, the nuances of Flanders Statistics. After all, renovation usually doesn’t happen until after you’ve purchased the home. The EPC is rarely updated and therefore remains in the database. Also important: New homes are not included in the numbers.