Act No 555/2005 Coll. on Energy efficiency certification of buildings

Act No. 555/2005 Coll. on the energy performance of buildings establishes the legal framework for improving energy efficiency in the building sector in Slovakia, with the dual objective of reducing energy consumption and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The Act sets out a unified methodology for calculating the energy performance of buildings and introduces minimum energy efficiency requirements for new buildings as well as for existing buildings undergoing major renovation. A central element is the mandatory energy certification of buildings, which classifies them into energy performance categories and must be provided in cases such as construction, sale, or rental. The legislation also requires the assessment of alternative energy systems, including renewable sources, during the design phase, and mandates the development of national plans and long-term renovation strategies to increase the number of nearly zero-energy buildings. Through successive amendments, the Act has been aligned with EU directives, progressively tightening standards and promoting highly efficient, low-energy and nearly zero-energy buildings as the future benchmark for the sector.