BOVERKET – the Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning – is a central government authority assorted under the Ministry of Enterprise and Innovation.
Why Energy Performance Certificate?
Buildings account for about 40 percent of energy consumption in EU countries. The energy performance certification is based on an EC directive. The law on energy performance certification of buildings was 
adopted in 2006. Sweden’s energy objective for homes and premises is that energy consumption in 2020 shall be 20 percent lower than it was in 1995.
The overall purpose of energy performance certification of buildings is to be economical with energy and to promote sustainable development. Aiming to reduce emissions harmful to the climate and to our living environment is also a reason, as is getting a good grip on how to save money to deal with the effects of sharply rising energy prices.
An energy performance certificate describes how effective a building is from an energy point of view. It also makes it possible to compare it with similar buildings.
In connection with the certification, you will also find out whether the building can be improved, how energy consumption can be reduced and the operating costs brought down. If the measures are carried out the building might also increase in value.
The latest BBR sets mandatory overall performance demands for dwellings and non-residential buildings that depends on the location and type of heating system employed. The code outlines prescriptive requirements for the thermal envelope and encourages efficient and thoughtful design of the energy consuming systems including, HVAC, hot water, lighting, auxiliary systems, as well as materials and products. Compliance is achieved through measuring the actual energy use of the (occupied) completed building and showing it to be less than or equal to the allowable energy frame.
Sweden has a long history of energy efficiency requirements for buildings, with the first prescriptive requirements being implemented in 1946. The first performance-based code arose following the EPBD in 2002. The latest BBR encompasses many dynamic aspects including low overall u-values requirements, mandatory energy measurement, Specific Fan Power requirements, performance requirements for buildings undergoing renovation and interim (2015) performance targets for most building types in preparation for the nZEB target of 2020.