Holding an energy audit at the design stage for the buildings to be constructed will make it possible to confirm the conformity of energy efficiency indicators of the building structures. The energy certificate provides information about the existing buildings that makes it possible to determine the minor and major repair dates, and the energy conservation measures to be implemented.

The obligatory introduction of building energy certificates is required under the new Ukrainian building code DBN B.2.6-31:2006 "Building and Facility Structures. Thermal Insulation of Buildings". However, it is too early to talk about the practical implementation of this concept in Ukraine.
It will became a reality after the adoption of the law on the energy audit specifying the unified audit methodology and identifying competent agencies and specialists that carry out this activity.
According to Andriy Pavlyk, Director General of Knauf Insulation Ukraine, the introduction of such certificates is extremely useful not only for consumers, but also for the fair manufacturers:
"In this case, the consumer gets a high-quality and comfortable house, and also achieves large savings due to the energy conservation. Thus, the manufacturers are protected against unfair competition in the form of low-quality products that discredit the thermal insulation sector", Andriy Pavlyk says.

The new standards also put forward much more stringent requirements for the minimum permitted level of the thermal insulation of buildings and the service life of the thermal insulation materials. Item 1.15 of the new standard provides that the service life of thermal insulation materials must amount to least 25 years.

"Manufacturers are ready to confirm the conformity of their materials with longevity requirements of the new Ukrainian standards; they will do it as soon as the official testing methodology is developed in Ukraine", Serhiy Kutuzov, technical specialist of Knauf Insulation Ukraine, adds.

The point is that the laboratory analysis of a material is not suitable in this case, because it discounts a number of factors. The thermal insulation is not used alone; it is only applied as a part of building structures that are very diverse. "Thus, this issue should be handled in a systemic manner; the longevity of a material should be tested as a part of specific structures using the universal longevity testing methodology", Serhiy Kutuzov comments.

We would like to believe that the implementation of building energy certificates and the development of building structure longevity testing methodologies are just an issue of the time. "The process has already started; it is beneficial for everyone: the consumers, the manufacturers and the state", Andriy Pavlyk states.