Everyone in real estate knows the energy label. The IT-Label was deliberately designed the same way: one code that shows at a glance how a building performs. Yet they measure very different things.
What does the energy label measure?
The energy label tells you about a building's energy performance. How well is it insulated? How efficient are the heating, cooling and ventilation systems? Is energy generated on site? In the Netherlands, there is also a legal minimum energy label for offices.
What does the IT-Label measure?
The IT-Label tells you about the digital infrastructure. In short: how well do the internet and IT work there? The label looks at six components:
- Connectivity: what kind of connection there is, how much capacity it has and whether there is a backup.
- Infrastructure: cabling, WiFi and technical rooms.
- Performance: how it performs under real load.
- Scalability: whether it can grow.
- Integration: whether building systems work together.
- Smart Building: climate, access, cameras and booking.
The result is a level from IT1+ (Premium) to IT5 (Shell).
The main differences
Mandatory or voluntary. The energy label is legally required for many buildings. The IT-Label is voluntary. Owners choose it because it shows something tenants ask about.
Calculated or measured. An energy label is largely calculated from the characteristics of the building. With the IT-Label, things are actually measured, on site and under real conditions. How fast is the WiFi in the corner of the floor? How stable is the connection when everyone is on a video call at once?
Validity. An energy label is valid for ten years. An IT-Label for two. That is no coincidence: digital technology ages much faster than insulation or a heat pump.
Verdict. The energy label has a clear direction: A is better than G, and for offices a poor label is a problem. The IT-Label explicitly does not say whether a building is good or bad. It says what is in place. For a tenant who wants to do their own fit-out, a shell building with IT5 can be exactly right.
Where they overlap
The two labels complement each other, and on one point they overlap: smart building systems. A building management system that controls the climate based on occupancy saves energy. So it counts towards the energy label. But it runs on the network, and whether it is properly integrated counts towards the IT-Label.
If you are making a building more sustainable, it pays to include the digital side straight away. Laying empty cable trays during a refurbishment costs little. Opening up walls and ceilings later costs a lot.
Together, the complete picture
A building with a good energy label and a good IT-Label is ready for the future: sustainable and digital. For tenants and investors, those are increasingly the two questions that matter. Read more about IT and sustainability.
Curious how your building performs digitally? Take the self-scan or read how the IT-Label works.