20 clever prompts that pros use for energy certificates

Joost Jansky

Energieberater, Blogger

Why prompts for energy certificate topics matter

Imagine: You have 10 minutes to check a property listing. The energy certificate is in front of you, but you are unsure: Are all 5 mandatory items under § 87 GEG included? Could a cease-and-desist letter be a risk? One wrong step and you could risk fines of up to €15,000.

Many property professionals know this situation. Since the Building Energy Act (GEG) came into force in 2020 and the stricter requirements of the GEG amendment 2024, brokers, managers and homeowners have faced new challenges. At the same time, energy costs are rising, which increases the importance of energy efficiency for purchase and rental decisions.

The good news: AI tools like ChatGPT can help a lot — if you know how to use them properly. The quality of the results depends heavily on how you phrase your requests. ChatGPT prompts for energy certificate topics produce much better results than generic questions.

A generic prompt like "Explain the energy certificate to me" yields superficial, barely useful results. A specific prompt like "You are a property broker. Create a checklist of the 5 mandatory items under § 87 GEG for a property listing" yields immediately usable, practical results that you can use directly in your work.

In this article you will find 20 proven prompts developed specifically for energy certificate topics. They are grouped into 7 logical categories and cover all important use cases — from basic decisions to strategic business model expansion. Each prompt is tried and tested and ready to use.

Basics: Which energy certificate is the right one?

Before you start working with the energy certificate, a basic decision is needed: Demand-based or consumption-based certificate? This choice affects not only cost but also the information value of the certificate. Wrong decisions can lead to invalid certificates or unnecessary cost.

The following three prompts help you make this decision on a solid basis and advise your clients professionally. For more on the differences, see our full guide to the energy certificate.

Prompt 1: Choosing between demand-based and consumption-based certificate

The prompt:

You are an experienced energy consultant. A client asks whether they need a demand-based or consumption-based certificate.

Building data:
- Year of construction: [YEAR]
- Number of units: [NUMBER]
- Renovation status: [STATUS]
- Consumption data available: [YES/NO]

Create a decision guide with:
1. Which certificate is legally permitted?
2. Which certificate is recommended and why?
3. Cost comparison of both options
4. Practical recommendation with reasoning

Address the answer to a property broker who needs to advise their client.

The intention: This prompt helps brokers and managers quickly determine the right certificate type. Instead of struggling through legal text, they get a structured decision guide with a clear recommendation — in seconds instead of hours.

What you get: A clear checklist with decision criteria, a clear recommendation with reasoning and a cost comparison. The answer is worded so you can pass it on to your clients.

Practical tip: Replace the placeholders [YEAR], [NUMBER], etc. with the actual building data. The more specific the data, the more precise the recommendation.

Prompt 2: Cost comparison of energy certificate providers

The prompt:

You are a property broker and need to recommend energy certificate providers to your client.

Create a comparison table for the following providers:
- Online providers (self-service)
- Chimney sweep (on-site)
- Energy consultant (on-site)
- Broker services

For each provider show:
1. Typical costs (consumption-based and demand-based)
2. Advantages and disadvantages
3. Processing time
4. Quality of certificates
5. Suitable for which clients

Format the answer as a basis for client advice.

The intention: Transparency builds trust. This prompt helps you advise clients on a solid basis and find the best option for their situation.

What you get: A structured comparison table you can use directly in conversations. For a detailed cost comparison of online providers see our blog.

Prompt 3: Validity check for existing energy certificates

The prompt:

You are a property manager taking over a new property. You find an energy certificate with the following data:

- Date of issue: [DATE]
- Registration number: [NUMBER]
- Certificate type: [DEMAND/CONSUMPTION]
- Recent changes to the building: [CHANGES]

Check:
1. Is the energy certificate still valid? (10-year rule)
2. Are there reasons why the certificate became invalid early?
3. What do you recommend?
4. What does a new certificate cost if needed?

Format the answer as a check report for the property file.

The intention: When taking over new properties, managers must quickly check whether existing certificates are still valid. This prompt automates that check and saves time.

What you get: A structured check report with validity status, expiry date and clear recommendation.

Legal compliance: Working to GEG standards

Legal errors can be expensive — very expensive. Fines of up to €15,000 can apply for breaches of the information duties under § 87 GEG. The following three prompts help you avoid errors and work in a legally safe way. For an overview of GEG requirements for energy certificates see our article.

Prompt 4: Mandatory information for property listings under § 87 GEG

The prompt:

You are a property broker creating a property listing. Under § 87 GEG certain information from the energy certificate must appear in the listing.

Certificate data:
- Type: [DEMAND/CONSUMPTION]
- Final energy demand/consumption: [VALUE] kWh/(m²a)
- Energy source: [GAS/OIL/ELECTRICITY/etc.]
- Year of construction: [YEAR]
- Energy efficiency class: [A+ to H]

Create:
1. A complete list of all 5 mandatory items under § 87 GEG
2. Wording suggestions for the listing (several variants)
3. A checklist for final review before publication
4. Common errors to avoid

Format the answer as a practical aid for brokers.

The intention: This prompt ensures no mandatory item is forgotten and gives you wording you can use directly in your listings.

Prompt 5: Checklist to avoid cease-and-desist letters

The prompt:

You are an expert in property law and GEG compliance. Create a comprehensive checklist to avoid cease-and-desist letters regarding energy certificate information in property listings.

Consider:
1. Common sources of error (abbreviations, wrong year of construction, etc.)
2. Legal requirements under § 87 GEG
3. Unfair competition aspects (UWG)
4. Best practices for brokers
5. Concrete solutions for each error

Format the checklist as a practical working tool for property brokers.

The intention: Cease-and-desist letters are costly and avoidable. This prompt identifies common pitfalls and shows concrete solutions.

Prompt 6: Checking completeness of an energy certificate

The prompt:

You are a quality assurance expert for energy certificates. A property broker hands you an energy certificate for review.

Check the certificate for completeness under GEG 2024:
1. All mandatory information present? (Page 1)
2. Registration number present and valid?
3. Renovation recommendations included? (Page 4)
4. CO₂ emissions stated? (mandatory since 1 May 2021)
5. Signatory and professional title of issuer?
6. Date of issue and validity period?

Create a check list with:
- Status (✓ or ✗) for each item
- Concrete deficiencies if any
- Recommendation (use or reissue)
- Legal risks of using an incomplete certificate

Format the answer as a check report.

The intention: Before using a certificate in listings, you should check that it is complete. This prompt automates that quality check. More on the registration number in our blog.

Sales optimisation: Energy certificate as a sales argument

Energy efficiency is increasingly important for purchase decisions. A good certificate can positively influence the sale price — if you know how to present it. The following three prompts help you use the certificate as a sales argument. Valuable here is the Energyausweis Smart™, which combines both certificate types and shows the better efficiency class.

Prompt 7: Integrating certificate data into property details

The prompt:

You are a property broker creating property details. You want to integrate energy certificate data in a professional, sales-friendly way.

Certificate data:
- Energy efficiency class: [CLASS]
- Final energy demand/consumption: [VALUE] kWh/(m²a)
- Energy source: [GAS/OIL/etc.]
- Year of construction: [YEAR]
- Special features: [FEATURES]

Create:
1. Sales-friendly text for the details (2–3 sentences)
2. An info box with the main certificate data
3. Wording suggestions for different efficiency classes
4. Tips on presenting average values positively

Format the answer in the style of a professional property broker.

Prompt 8: Deriving sales arguments from the efficiency class

The prompt:

You are a property broker in a sales conversation. The energy certificate shows efficiency class [CLASS].

Create sales arguments for this class:
1. Positive aspects of this class (including for average values)
2. Comparison with market average
3. Future savings potential for buyers
4. Argumentation aids for different buyer types (investors, owner-occupiers, etc.)
5. How to respond to questions about poorer values?

Format the answer as an argumentation guide for sales conversations.

Prompt 9: Strategies for higher sale prices with the energy certificate

The prompt:

You are a property broker advising a house seller. The house has an energy certificate with efficiency class [CLASS].

The seller wants to:
- Achieve the highest possible sale price
- Use the certificate as a sales argument
- Convince potential buyers of the energy efficiency

Create a strategy with:
1. Concrete measures for price optimisation (short and long term)
2. How to use the certificate in price negotiations
3. Argumentation aids for different buyer types
4. Timing: when to present the certificate?
5. Which renovation measures are worth doing before sale?

Format the answer as a strategic plan for house sellers.

More on how the certificate affects property value in our blog.

Financing: Negotiating renovation measures

Banks are increasingly taking energy efficiency into account in financing decisions. A good certificate can help negotiate renovation measures into the loan or get better interest terms. The following three prompts help you use these options. More on how the certificate affects loan terms in our article.

Prompt 10: Argumentation aid for bank negotiations

The prompt:

You are a financing adviser supporting a homeowner in bank negotiations. The client wants to include renovation measures in the loan amount.

Certificate data:
- Current efficiency class: [CLASS]
- Final energy demand/consumption: [VALUE] kWh/(m²a)
- Renovation recommendations: [RECOMMENDATIONS]
- Estimated value increase potential: [POTENTIAL]

Create:
1. An argumentation guide for the bank meeting
2. Concrete wording for different points
3. Calculation of value increase from renovation measures
4. Comparison: cost vs benefit of renovation
5. Which funding programmes can be used in addition?

Format the answer as preparation for bank negotiations.

Prompt 11: Renovation plan from energy certificate

The prompt:

You are an energy consultant creating a renovation plan based on the recommendations in an energy certificate.

Certificate data:
- Renovation recommendations: [RECOMMENDATIONS]
- Current efficiency class: [CLASS]
- Target efficiency class: [TARGET]
- Budget: [BUDGET]

Create a structured renovation plan with:
1. Prioritisation of measures (by effectiveness and cost)
2. Estimated cost per measure
3. Expected energy saving per measure
4. Timeline for implementation
5. Which measures can be combined?
6. Funding programmes for each measure

Format the answer as a practical implementation plan.

Prompt 12: Preparing a financing application with certificate data

The prompt:

You are a financing adviser preparing a financing application for renovation measures. The client has an energy certificate.

Certificate data:
- Efficiency class: [CLASS]
- Final energy demand/consumption: [VALUE] kWh/(m²a)
- Renovation recommendations: [RECOMMENDATIONS]
- Estimated cost of measures: [COST]

Create a checklist for the financing application with:
1. All required information from the certificate
2. Which additional documents are needed
3. How to describe the measures in the application
4. Which funding programmes can be applied for in parallel
5. Argumentation aids for the bank (value increase, energy savings)

Format the answer as preparation for financing applications.

Which documents you need for the energy certificate is covered in our blog.

Marketing & lead generation: Energy certificate as an acquisition tool

Energy certificate lead generators are used successfully by brokers. They generate qualified leads who already have an interest in property services. The following three prompts help you use the certificate as an acquisition tool.

Prompt 13: Lead magnet strategy for brokers

The prompt:

You are a marketing expert for property brokers. A broker wants to use the energy certificate as a lead magnet to win new clients.

Target group: Homeowners who want to sell
Goal: Generate qualified leads
Budget: [BUDGET]

Create a comprehensive lead magnet strategy with:
1. Concrete implementation steps (landing page, integration, etc.)
2. What incentives can be offered? (free check, discount, etc.)
3. How are leads qualified?
4. Follow-up strategy for generated leads
5. Success measurement (KPIs)
6. Integration into existing marketing channels

Format the answer as a practical marketing plan.

Prompt 14: Landing page copy for energy certificate service

The prompt:

You are a copywriter for property marketing. A broker wants to create a landing page for their energy certificate service.

Target group: Homeowners who want to sell
Goal: Lead generation (contact form)
Unique selling proposition: [USP]

Create:
1. A compelling headline (several variants)
2. SEO-optimised introduction (150–200 words)
3. Benefits of the service (bullet points)
4. Social proof elements (if any)
5. Call-to-action wording (several variants)
6. FAQ section with common questions

Format the answer in the style of a professional property broker, trustworthy and customer-focused.

Prompt 15: Customer communication for energy certificate offers

The prompt:

You are a property broker and want to draw existing and potential clients' attention to your energy certificate service.

Channel: [EMAIL/SOCIAL MEDIA/CALL/etc.]
Target group: [EXISTING CLIENTS/NEW LEADS/etc.]
Occasion: [SALE/RENTAL/REGULAR OUTREACH/etc.]

Create:
1. A professional email text (if email)
2. Social media posts (if social media)
3. Phone script (if call)
4. Different tones (formal, friendly, urgent)
5. Personalisation options

Format the answer in the style of a professional property broker.

Business model expansion: Opening new revenue streams

Energy certificates can be an additional revenue stream — even if you are not authorised to issue them yourself. Partner and white-label models allow you to offer certificates as a service without building the expertise in-house. The following three prompts help you develop these models. For costs of certificates from chimney sweeps see our blog.

Prompt 16: Partner selection for certificate outsourcing

The prompt:

You are a chimney sweep [or other service provider] and want to offer energy certificates as an additional service without issuing them yourself.

Requirements:
- Target group: [OWN CLIENTS/NEW CLIENTS/etc.]
- Expected volume: [NUMBER PER MONTH]
- Quality requirement: [HIGH/MEDIUM/etc.]
- Budget for partner: [BUDGET]

Create an evaluation matrix for partner selection with:
1. Important criteria (quality, price, service, etc.)
2. Weighting of criteria
3. Questions for partner discussions
4. Typical contract structures (commission, flat rate, etc.)
5. Risks and how to avoid them
6. Comparison of different partner models

Format the answer as a strategic decision aid.

Prompt 17: White-label strategy for platform operators

The prompt:

You are a large platform operator (property portal, broker network, etc.) and want to offer energy certificates as a white-label service. You lack in-house energy consultant expertise.

Requirements:
- Integration into existing platform: [YES/NO]
- Target group: [OWN USERS/EXTERNAL/etc.]
- Expected volume: [NUMBER PER MONTH]
- Quality requirement: [HIGH]
- Technical requirements: [API/IFRAME/etc.]

Create a comprehensive white-label strategy with:
1. Partner selection criteria (technical, quality, commercial)
2. Typical contract structures for white-label models
3. Quality assurance (how is quality ensured?)
4. API integration (if required)
5. Pricing for end customers
6. Marketing strategy for the new service
7. Risks and mitigation strategies

Format the answer as a strategic business plan.

Prompt 18: Pricing for B2B energy certificate models

The prompt:

You are a managing director developing a B2B business model for energy certificates. You sell certificates to brokers, managers or other business customers.

Target group: [BROKERS/MANAGERS/PLATFORM OPERATORS/etc.]
Expected volume: [NUMBER PER MONTH]
Your cost per certificate: [COST]

Create a pricing model with:
1. Different pricing models (unit price, volume discounts, subscription, etc.)
2. Price calculation for different volumes
3. Comparison of models (advantages and disadvantages)
4. Recommendation for the target group
5. How to communicate pricing?
6. What additional services can be offered?

Format the answer as a pricing strategy for B2B sales.

Customer communication: Explaining energy certificates clearly

Certificate content is often hard for laypeople to understand. Technical terms like "primary energy demand" or "building use area" confuse many clients. The following two prompts help you explain complex content simply. More on the meaning of the U-value and other terms in our blog.

Prompt 19: Preparing certificate content for laypeople

The prompt:

You are a property broker and need to explain the energy certificate to a layperson. The client has no technical background.

Certificate data:
- Efficiency class: [CLASS]
- Final energy demand/consumption: [VALUE] kWh/(m²a)
- Primary energy demand: [VALUE] kWh/(m²a)
- CO₂ emissions: [VALUE] kg/(m²a)
- Renovation recommendations: [RECOMMENDATIONS]

Create a clear explanation with:
1. Simple explanation of the main terms (no jargon)
2. What do the figures mean in practice? (examples, benchmarks)
3. What does the efficiency class mean for the client?
4. What are the expected heating costs?
5. What do the renovation recommendations mean in practice?

Format the answer so a layperson can understand it. Use examples and comparisons.

Prompt 20: Formulating renovation recommendations in a customer-friendly way

The prompt:

You are an energy consultant and need to explain the renovation recommendations from an energy certificate to a layperson.

Renovation recommendations:
[RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE CERTIFICATE]

Create a customer-friendly version with:
1. Simple explanation of each measure (what is done?)
2. Prioritisation: Which measures have the greatest effect?
3. Estimated cost per measure (in clear categories: low/medium/high)
4. Expected energy saving per measure
5. Which measures can be combined?
6. Funding programmes for each measure
7. Timeline: In what order should measures be implemented?

Format the answer so a layperson can understand and act on it.

Best practices: Using the prompts effectively

The quality of your prompts determines the quality of the results. These best practices help you get the best results:

1. Define a persona

Start every prompt with a clear persona. Instead of "Explain the energy certificate to me" use: "You are an experienced property broker. Explain the energy certificate to a layperson."

Why? The persona gives the AI the right context and leads to more specific, practical results.

2. Give context

The more context you give, the better the results. Specify: target audience (broker, manager, homeowner), use case (sale, rental, advice), desired tone (formal, friendly, urgent), desired format (checklist, text, table).

3. Refine iteratively

The first answer is rarely perfect. Refine the prompt step by step: "Make the text shorter", "Add concrete examples", "Word it in a more customer-friendly way". Save your refined prompts as templates.

4. Check the results

AI output is not always 100% correct. Check legal information (GEG paragraphs, fines), figures and terminology. Always cross-check legal information with official sources.

5. Respect data protection

Do not use personal data in prompts. Use placeholders instead: [NAME], [ADDRESS], [PHONE]. Personal data should never be entered into ChatGPT.

6. Integrate into your workflow

Use prompts as quality assurance before important steps. Create prompt collections for different use cases (e.g. "Listing check" with Prompts 4, 5 and 6).

7. Save prompt templates

Build a collection of your best prompts. Organise them by category and share successful prompts with your team. Use tools like Notion, Obsidian or simple text files.

Conclusion: Integrating energy certificate prompts into your workflow

These 20 prompts cover all important use cases for energy certificate topics. From basic decisions to strategic business model expansion — you now have tools for every situation.

Benefits at a glance

• Time saving: Complex research and wording in seconds instead of hours.
• Quality: Structured checklists and check reports reduce errors.
• Fewer mistakes: Legal compliance is built in; cease-and-desist letters are avoided.
• Professionalism: Consistent, professional wording in all documents.

Next steps

1. Start today: Choose 3 prompts that are most relevant for you.
2. Test the prompts: Adapt them to your needs.
3. Integrate them: Make the prompts part of your daily workflow.
4. Share your experience: Which prompts work best for you?

Further resources

• GEG legal text — Official legal basis for energy certificates
• DIBt registration — Registration of energy certificates