Energy Audit under DIN EN 16247: Obligation and Cost

Energy Audit under DIN EN 16247: Who Must Do It and What Does It Cost?

An energy audit gives a company a documented picture of where energy is used and which improvements are financially worthwhile. In Germany, the EDL-G requires many non-SMEs to commission one at least every four years. The decision is less simple for a corporate group, a low-consumption company or a business above the threshold for an energy management system. Here is how to identify the applicable route, what the audit covers and how to budget for it.

Who is subject to the EDL-G energy audit obligation?

Under the EDL-G, the recurring audit obligation applies to companies that are not micro, small or medium-sized enterprises under the EU SME definition. Ownership links and partner companies can affect that classification, so the local headcount alone is not always decisive. An audit must normally be repeated within four years of completing the preceding audit. Newly qualifying non-SMEs have a statutory deadline for the first audit.

Situation	Practical consequence
SME under the EU definition	No EDL-G audit obligation solely by virtue of SME status; check other applicable energy rules.
Non-SME with annual total energy consumption up to 500,000 kWh	The simplified online declaration can satisfy the EDL-G audit obligation; this is not a full audit.
Non-SME above 500,000 kWh, without a qualifying management system	Commission a DIN EN 16247-1 audit and repeat it at least every four years.
Company averaging more than 7.5 GWh per year over three completed calendar years	The EnEfG requires an energy or environmental management system; its rules interact with the EDL-G audit obligation.

The 500,000 kWh test uses the total across energy carriers for the relevant completed 12-month billing period, not just electricity at one branch. The 7.5 GWh management-system threshold uses the average total final energy consumption over the last three completed calendar years. A qualifying ISO 50001 energy management system or EMAS environmental management system may provide an exemption from the recurring EDL-G audit under the statutory conditions.

Team comparing charts during a data review

What does DIN EN 16247-1 require?

The EDL-G refers to DIN EN 16247-1, November 2022 edition. The audit is based on recent, verifiable consumption and load data. It covers buildings, operating processes, industrial installations and transport where relevant, and should examine at least 90% of the company’s total energy consumption. The result must be representative enough to identify the main opportunities for improvement. The company appoints a contact person, and the auditor provides the underlying data in a form the company can retain and trace.
A typical sequence begins with scope and data collection, continues through analysis and on-site inspection, and ends with a report that sets out energy uses, proposed measures, investment and expected savings. Financial evaluation must at least use the net present value method. For a chain with similar branches, a representative multi-site approach can reduce duplicated visits, but it must still capture meaningful differences in equipment, size and use.

How much does an energy audit cost?

There is no statutory fee or reliable flat price per company. In a BfEE market survey for 2024, paid energy audits under DIN 16247-1 averaged about €7,200 in external fees. That is a survey result, not a quotation for a particular business: a small, well-documented site can require less work, while a group with many different premises or processes can cost substantially more. Internal staff time for collecting data and accompanying visits is an additional cost.

Cost driver	Why it changes the quote
Sites and their similarity	Repeated store formats may allow sampling; diverse factories or buildings need separate analysis.
Energy data quality	Missing bills, submetering or load data increases collection and reconstruction work.
Technical complexity	Process heat, refrigeration, HVAC, production and transport need different expertise.
Visits and deliverables	Travel, measurements, site access, reporting and a presentation affect the scope.

For comparable offers, specify the legal scope, included sites, data period, any sampling method, on-site time, report content and support with the BAFA online declaration. Ask the provider to separate external fees from anticipated internal effort.

What happens after the report?

The company must submit the required audit data through the BAFA online form within two months of completion. The next audit date should be tracked from the previous completion date. For companies averaging more than 2.5 GWh over three years, the EnEfG also contains a separate requirement to prepare and publish implementation plans for economically viable measures; its conditions and deadlines must be checked separately. The audit itself is an analysis and report, while the delivery of measures needs a plan, owners and budgets.

Technician servicing commercial HVAC equipment after an energy assessment

How Wowworks helps with the work that follows

Wowworks coordinates technical facility tasks across commercial sites in Germany. Once an energy auditor has identified practical measures, a facilities team can organise suitable local contractors for lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation or building repairs and follow completion records centrally. This supports implementation across a branch network. The qualified energy auditor and the company remain responsible for the statutory audit and its submission.