I became your enemy because I tell you the truth
“You can fool some of the people all the time and all the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all the time.” A. Lincoln
With residential houses accounting for 30% of country’s electricity use, government says system will help buyers anticipate heating, air conditioning costs, save up to 30% on bills
New apartments will have to be marketed from now on with an energy efficiency rating to enable prospective buyers to calculate their likely energy costs, according to a joint statement issued Tuesday by the ministries of energy, environmental protection and housing.
The new policy, which brings Israel into line with EU regulations, came into effect on Sunday following an amendment to the country’s sales law in June.
Residential buildings account for some 30 percent of Israel’s total electricity consumption, according to the Energy Ministry, which also pointed out that occupants of units with high energy efficiency ratings can save up to 30% on heating and air conditioning costs.
Developers will have to register the ratings on an Energy Ministry database and inform prospective buyers about them.
The ratings resemble those for household electrical appliances, ranging from A+ — which denotes the highest level of energy efficiency — to F.
They are based on a building’s shell components, as well as elements such as thermal insulation, window size, the quality of the glass, the building’s location and sunlight penetration, which causes heating.
Michael Loyman