Portugal's SCE System
explained clearly
The Sistema de Certificação Energética dos Edifícios (SCE) is the framework that governs energy performance certificates in Portugal. Here is what property owners need to understand.
What is the SCE?
The SCE — Sistema de Certificação Energética dos Edifícios — is Portugal's national framework for assessing and certifying the energy performance of buildings. It was established to implement the European Union's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and is administered by the ADENE (Agência para a Energia).
Under the SCE, residential and commercial buildings must have an energy performance certificate (Certificado de Desempenho Energético, or CDE) before they can be sold or rented. The certificate is issued by a qualified energy technician (Técnico de Qualificação Energética, or TQE) who has been accredited through the ADENE system.
The certificate assigns the building a rating on a scale from A+ (most efficient) to F (least efficient), based on a standardised calculation that takes into account the building's thermal characteristics, heating and cooling systems, hot water production, and any renewable energy contribution.
The SCE applies to most residential and commercial buildings when they are sold or rented. There are some exemptions — certain heritage buildings, temporary structures, and buildings below a minimum floor area — but for the majority of transactions involving Portuguese property, the certificate is a legal requirement.
Advertisements for the sale or rental of a property must also display the energy rating — so the certificate needs to be in place before marketing begins, not only at the point of signing.
Frequently asked about the SCE
When is a certificate required?
A certificate is required before any sale or rental of a building or part of a building (such as an apartment). It must also be displayed in any advertisement for the property. New buildings require a certificate at the point of first occupation.
How long is a certificate valid?
Energy performance certificates issued under the SCE are valid for ten years. After this period, a new assessment is required before the property can be sold or rented again.
What happens if a property is sold without a certificate?
The absence of a valid certificate at the point of sale or rental is a regulatory non-compliance. The obligation rests with the property owner. Notaries are required to verify that a certificate exists before a deed can be signed.
Does the rating affect the sale price?
The rating itself does not set a price, but it is a visible indicator of a building's energy efficiency. Prospective buyers and tenants increasingly consider energy costs alongside purchase or rental price, and the certificate provides a standardised basis for comparison.
Can the rating be improved before selling?
Yes. If an owner makes qualifying energy improvements before the assessment — such as installing double glazing or upgrading the boiler — these will be reflected in the certificate. Our advisory report can help identify which improvements would have the most effect on the rating for a given building.
Are all buildings required to have a certificate?
Most buildings are required to have a certificate when sold or rented. Some exemptions apply, including certain listed heritage buildings, buildings used less than four months per year, and buildings below a minimum usable floor area. An assessment will confirm whether your property falls within the scope of the requirement.
Why older Portuguese buildings present specific challenges
Buildings constructed before Portugal's first thermal regulation (RCCTE, 1991) were built without any mandatory energy performance requirements. Many were built before the widespread availability of cavity wall insulation, double glazing, or modern boiler technology.
This means that a large portion of Portugal's existing building stock — particularly in historic city centres and in rural areas — has a thermal envelope that was never designed with energy efficiency in mind. Stone walls conduct heat readily. Single-glazed windows have very low thermal resistance. Uninsulated roof spaces allow warm air to escape in winter and heat to accumulate in summer.
For owners of these buildings, the SCE certificate is often a first encounter with a formal energy performance assessment. The rating may come as a surprise — but the rating alone does not explain what is driving it, or what could be done to change it.
This is why the advisory report that accompanies the certificate has practical value: it identifies the specific elements that are most affecting the rating, and describes what each potential upgrade would mean — both for the rating and for the annual cost of heating and cooling the building.
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