What Is an Energy Performance Certificate and How Should Home Buyers Check It?

Understanding a home's running costs matters alongside location, floor area and price. Advertising terms such as “insulated” or “energy efficient” do not explain the full picture. Requesting the Energy Performance Certificate (EKB) and comparing it with the building's current condition helps you ask specific questions.

The EKB contains information about energy requirements, energy consumption classification, greenhouse gas emissions, insulation and the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. Ratings run from A to G, with A indicating greater efficiency. Review the building and system details as well as the rating.

Ask the seller or building management for a legible copy with all pages. Compare the address, building or block name and other identifying details with the home you are considering. In developments with several blocks, make sure the certificate covers the correct building.

Check the issue and validity information. Ask whether insulation, windows or the shared heating system have changed since the certificate was prepared. Request dates and technical records for improvements. If the document and the building appear inconsistent, ask the authorised issuer to explain the difference.

Use official verification channels. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change provides an Energy Performance Certificate query service on e-Devlet. Identity verification is required. Ask the seller or management to show the official query result and compare it with the copy provided.

Consider how you will use the home. Occupancy, time spent indoors and preferred temperatures matter when planning your budget. Do not predict monthly bills from the rating alone. Ask which months previous consumption records cover and whether the home was occupied. Personal details can be concealed before bills are shared.

For shared heating, ask management how costs are allocated. Clarify whether the quoted monthly payment covers heating, hot water or other communal expenses. Compare records from similar seasons and usage conditions wherever possible.

During viewings, ask when windows were replaced, whether roof and facade works are documented, and whether heating maintenance records are available. Note the answers and ask an appropriate professional to investigate unresolved technical questions.

Keep the EKB with your purchase documents. Review energy performance alongside title, permits, occupancy documentation and structural assessments where needed. Positive information in one document should not replace other checks.

Başkent Zirve Emlak recommends preparing your questions and document requests before making an offer. Reviewing the EKB, consumption history and improvement records together helps identify what is clear and what needs further investigation.

Sources Bursa Provincial Directorate of National Education — EKB information (27 October 2017; definition and classification): https://bursa.meb.gov.tr/enerjiyonetimi/proje-detay.php?p=10 Official e-Devlet query service (checked 27 October 2026): https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/csb-enerji-kimlik-belgesi-sorgulama