Building energy classes

The energy classes (energialuokat) of buildings are determined by the E-value (E-luku) and the energy efficiency class table (energiatehokkuusluokkataulukko), or energy class table for short. Each use category (käyttötarkoitusluokka) has its own energy efficiency class table, and the energy class limits of a building depend on which use category it belongs to. There are ten different use categories, and you will find them, together with their energy efficiency class tables, further down in this article. For every use category, building energy efficiency classes run on a scale from A to G, where A is the most energy-efficient class and G the least energy-efficient. New buildings must meet requirements for the E-value and energy efficiency class to obtain a building permit, whereas for existing buildings it is enough for the E-value and energy class to be determined at the latest when the building is sold or let. A building’s energy class is a good way to compare the energy efficiency of the buildings themselves, because under the calculation rules for the energy performance certificate (energiatodistus) and the E-value it is always based on design and standard values, and does not depend on the occupants or on annual weather conditions. The purpose of energy consulting is to find cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency.

What do energy classes A–G mean?

An energy class is a letter showing where a building’s E-value falls on the scale for its use category. A lower E-value is better. The same letter means a different E-value in different building types, as this short energy class table shows. The full tables for all building types are further down.

Energy class	Detached house, 120 m²	Terraced house	Block of flats
A	E-value ≤ 86	E-value ≤ 80	E-value ≤ 75
B	87–143	81–110	76–100
C	144–180	111–150	101–130
D	181–260	151–210	131–160
E	261–390	211–340	161–190
F	391–460	341–410	191–240
G	461 or more	411 or more	241 or more

E-value limits from Decree 1048/2017. The limits for the detached house are our own calculation from the decree’s formulas, and they change with the size of the house.

For comparison, the current E-value limit for a new 120 m² detached house is 128 (200 – 0.6 × 120), and according to the Ministry of the Environment a new building that meets the nearly zero-energy requirements in principle falls into class B. There is no requirement for an existing building to reach a particular energy class, but the class must as a rule be stated in sales and rental advertisements. The energy class describes the building in standardised use, not the residents’ bills: see how a house’s energy class is calculated.

Energy class A

A is the most energy-efficient class on the scale. In a 120 m² detached house it requires an E-value of 86 or lower, about a third below the limit for a new house. A zero-emission building designation, A0, has also been enacted alongside the scale, but its practical use still awaits EU acts and changes to the energy certificate register.

Energy class B

B is the class a new building in principle falls into. The E-value limits for new buildings – 128 for a 120 m² detached house, 105 for a terraced house and 90 for a block of flats – all fall in class B.

Energy class C

C is one step below the level of a new house. In a 120 m² detached house the E-value is 144–180, at most about 1.4 times the limit for a new house.

Energy class D

D is the middle class on the scale. In a 120 m² detached house the E-value is 181–260, about 1.4–2 times the limit for a new house. The class is wide, so the letter does not always change in a renovation: in Motiva’s example, three air source heat pumps lowered the E-value of a 150 m² electrically heated house from 199 to 166, but the class stayed at D.

Energy class E

In a 120 m² detached house, class E means an E-value of 261–390, about 2–3 times the limit for a new house. In a block of flats the same letter means an E-value of 161–190, so the letter does not say the same thing in different building types. Nor does class E directly mean high bills, because the E-value is based on standardised use. In many houses, changing the heating system can raise the energy class by one or two steps – see energy renovation.

Energy class F

F is the second-weakest class on the scale. In a 120 m² detached house the E-value is 391–460, more than three times the limit for a new house. A weak letter on an old house may be partly due to missing information: where no established values are available, the assessor uses the decree’s default values. So it is worth digging out old drawings and the documents for renovations and equipment before the certificate is prepared.

Energy class G

G is the weakest class on the scale, and it has no upper limit. A 120 m² detached house ends up in it with an E-value of 461 or more, a terraced house with 411 and a block of flats with 241. The class can be improved: we cover the means in the article how to get a good E-value.

What does energy class E2018 mean?

The marking E2018 means energy class E calculated under the 2018 rules. In sales and rental advertisements, the year is added to the letter as a subscript, for example C₂₀₁₈ or D₂₀₁₃. The year tells you which rules the class was calculated under, not when the certificate was prepared. Classes calculated under different rules cannot be compared with each other. We cover older certificates in the article old energy certificate.

Small residential buildings (use category 1 a–c)

For small residential buildings, the energy class is determined by the energy efficiency class table below. Small residential buildings include, among others, detached houses, post-war veteran’s houses (rintamamiestalot) and semi-detached houses. The energy efficiency class limits for small residential buildings depend on the floor area of the building; you can read more about this, if needed, in the article E-value calculation examples.

single-dwelling houses
two-dwelling houses
buildings forming part of a linked house (ketjutalo) and other detached small houses

Small residential buildings, use category 1 a–c
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m² year)
Size group: 50 m² ≤ A_netto ≤ 150 m²
A	E-value ≤ 110 – 0,2 × A_netto
B	110 – 0,2 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 215 – 0,6 × A_netto
C	215 – 0,6 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 252 – 0,6 × A_netto
D	252 – 0,6 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 332 – 0,6 × A_netto
E	332 – 0,6 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 462 – 0,6 × A_netto
F	462 – 0,6 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 532 – 0,6 × A_netto
G	532 – 0,6 × A_netto< E-value
Size group: 150 m² < A_netto ≤ 600 m²
A	E-value ≤ 83 – 0,02 × A_netto
B	83 – 0,02 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 131 – 0,04 × A_netto
C	131 – 0,04 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 173 – 0,07 × A_netto
D	173 – 0,07 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 253 – 0,07 × A_netto
E	253 – 0,07 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 383 – 0,07 × A_netto
F	383 – 0,07 × A_netto < E-value ≤ 453 – 0,07 × A_netto
G	453 – 0,07 × A_netto < E-value
Size group: A_netto > 600 m²
A	E-value ≤ 70
B	71 ≤ E-value ≤ 106
C	107 ≤ E-value ≤ 130
D	131 ≤ E-value ≤ 210
E	211 ≤ E-value ≤ 340
F	341 ≤ E-value ≤ 410
G	411 ≤ E-value

Energy class tables for small residential buildings, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Terraced houses and two-storey blocks of flats (use category 1d)

The energy classes for terraced houses and two-storey blocks of flats are shown below. The best energy efficiency class, A, is reached with an E-value of 80 or less. For example, a building falls into the middle energy efficiency class, D, when its E-value is 151–210. The poorest energy efficiency rating is given for an E-value of 411 or higher.

terraced house
block of flats with residential floors on no more than two storeys

Small residential buildings, use category 1 d
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWhE/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 80
B	81 ≤ E-value ≤ 110
C	111 ≤ E-value ≤ 150
D	151 ≤ E-value ≤ 210
E	211 ≤ E-value ≤ 340
F	341 ≤ E-value ≤ 410
G	411 ≤ E-value

Terraced houses and two-storey blocks of flats, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Blocks of flats (use category 2)

The energy efficiency classes for blocks of flats are shown below. Energy efficiency class A is achieved with an E-value of 75 or less. A building ends up in the poorest energy efficiency class with an E-value of 241 or more.

block of flats with residential floors on at least three storeys

Blocks of flats, use category 2
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 75
B	76 ≤ E-value ≤ 100
C	101 ≤ E-value ≤ 130
D	131 ≤ E-value ≤ 160
E	161 ≤ E-value ≤ 190
F	191 ≤ E-value ≤ 240
G	241 ≤ E-value

Blocks of flats, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Office buildings (use category 3)

The energy efficiency classes for office buildings can be found in the energy efficiency table below. Reaching energy class A requires an E-value of 80 or less. An E-value of 301 or more means the poorest energy class, G.

office building
health centre

Office buildings, use category 3
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 80
B	81 ≤ E-value ≤ 120
C	121 ≤ E-value ≤ 170
D	171 ≤ E-value ≤ 200
E	201 ≤ E-value ≤ 240
F	241 ≤ E-value ≤ 300
G	301 ≤ E-value

Office buildings, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Commercial buildings (use category 4)

The energy efficiency classes for commercial buildings, a category covering several different building types, can be checked below. Energy class A requires an E-value of 90 or less. A building ends up in the poorest energy class with an E-value of 391 or more.

commercial building
department store
shopping centre
shop building
retail hall
theatre, opera, concert and congress building
cinema
library
archive
museum
art gallery
exhibition hall

Commercial buildings, use category 4
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 90
B	91 ≤ E-value ≤ 170
C	171 ≤ E-value ≤ 240
D	241 ≤ E-value ≤ 280
E	281 ≤ E-value ≤ 340
F	341 ≤ E-value ≤ 390
G	391 ≤ E-value

Commercial buildings, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Accommodation buildings (use category 5)

The energy efficiency classes A–G for accommodation buildings are shown below. Accommodation buildings include hotels, dormitories, service housing, old people’s homes and care institutions. Class A is reached with an E-value of 90 or less. A building remains in class G with an E-value of 451 or more.

hotel
dormitory
service housing
old people’s home
care institution

Accommodation buildings, use category 5
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 90
B	91 ≤ E-value ≤ 170
C	171 ≤ E-value ≤ 240
D	241 ≤ E-value ≤ 280
E	281 ≤ E-value ≤ 340
F	341 ≤ E-value ≤ 450
G	451 ≤ E-value

Accommodation buildings, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Educational buildings and day care centres (use category 6)

Educational buildings and day care centres need an E-value of 90 or less to reach class A. A building ends up in the poorest energy efficiency class with an E-value of 361 or more.

Educational buildings and day care centres, use category 6
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 90
B	91 ≤ E-value ≤ 130
C	131 ≤ E-value ≤ 170
D	171 ≤ E-value ≤ 230
E	231 ≤ E-value ≤ 300
F	301 ≤ E-value ≤ 360
G	361 ≤ E-value

Educational buildings and day care centres, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Sports halls, excluding swimming halls and ice rinks (use category 7)

The best energy efficiency class for sports halls, A, is achieved with an E-value of 90 or less. A building falls into energy efficiency class G if its E-value is 281 or more.

Sports halls, excluding swimming halls and ice rinks, use category 7
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 90
B	91 ≤ E-value ≤ 130
C	131 ≤ E-value ≤ 170
D	171 ≤ E-value ≤ 190
E	191 ≤ E-value ≤ 240
F	241 ≤ E-value ≤ 280
G	281 ≤ E-value

Sports halls, excluding swimming halls and ice rinks, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Hospitals (use category 8)

In the hospital use category, an E-value of 150 is enough for the best energy efficiency class, A. The building is rated energy efficiency class B if its E-value is 151–350. The poorest energy efficiency class applies when the E-value is 801 or more.

Hospitals, use category 8
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 150
B	151 ≤ E-value ≤ 350
C	351 ≤ E-value ≤ 450
D	451 ≤ E-value ≤ 550
E	551 ≤ E-value ≤ 650
F	651 ≤ E-value ≤ 800
G	801 ≤ E-value

Hospitals, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Other buildings (use category 9)

The “other buildings” use category includes the buildings listed below. The best energy efficiency class, A, is reached with an E-value of 90 or less. The poorest energy efficiency class, G, applies when the E-value is 281 or more.

warehouse building
transport building
swimming hall
ice rink
grocery store unit under 2000 m²
relocatable building
other building not included in the use categories listed earlier in this annex

Other buildings, use category 9
Energy efficiency class	E-value, kWh/(m²year)
A	E-value ≤ 90
B	91 ≤ E-value ≤ 130
C	131 ≤ E-value ≤ 170
D	171 ≤ E-value ≤ 190
E	191 ≤ E-value ≤ 240
F	241 ≤ E-value ≤ 280
G	281 ≤ E-value

Other buildings, energy class table, 20.12.2017/1048, Annexes 1–5

Sources:

Updated 5 November 2026: added a section on what energy classes A–G mean, a short energy class table, an explanation of the marking E2018 and sources.