Purpose
 The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was transposed into Irish law in January 2002. The objective of the EPBD is to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings across the EU through cost effective measures. As part of the EPBD, the Building Energy Rating (BER) scheme was introduced throughout Europe.
The BER scheme is a means of testing and grading all buildings on their energy efficiency and environmental performance.
BER Certificate
In compliance with the EPBD a BER Certificate, which will express the energy consumption of the building, must be made available to the prospective buyers or tenants when a building is sold, rented or on completion of a new building.
Failure on behalf of the vendor to provide the required BER certificate can be punished with a maximum fine of €5,000.
A BER Certificate is a visual representation of the energy performance of a building on a colour coded chart. A green A1 rating is the most efficient and a red G being the least efficient rating.
Thus the BER label is in effect a tag which indicates the efficiency level of the building.
The BER is expressed in Kilowatt-hours per square metre of floor area per year (kWh/M2/year). The BER certificate will also show the buildings carbon emissions in Kilograms per square metre of floor area per annum (kgCO2/M2/year).
Provisional BER Certificate
A Provisional BER is calculated from design plans and specifications. Its purpose is to provide an indication of the energy rating of a building prior to construction. A provisional BER certificate is required by law when a building is “sold off plans.” A provisional rating may be included in sales and marketing information of new buildings. The provisional BER is valid for up to two years.
Final BER Certificate
A final BER will take account of any changes to initial design assumptions in the finished building. The final BER is produced once the building is completed. Once the Final BER Certificate is issued the Provisional BER Certificate for that building becomes null and void. The Final BER Certificate is valid for 10 years provided there are no significant structural changes made to the building.
Advisory Report
 The BER certificate must also be accompanied by an Advisory Report. The Advisory Report shall contain information as to the efficient operation of the building as well as the recommendation of any remedial measures to the building fabric or fittings that will improve the overall energy efficiency of the building.
The Advisory Report may contain advice on the following areas:
- Insulation
- Glazing
- Heating Systems
- Heating Controls
- Lighting and Appliances
- Renewable Energy Sources, (eg. solar, wind, geothermal, wood pellets, etc..)
There will be no legal obligation on vendors or prospective purchasers to carry out the recommended improvements outlined in the advisory report.
Key Dates
The BER scheme is being implemented on a phased basis in Ireland. The time scale for its implementation is as follows:
1st January 2007:
BER is required for all new dwellings which have sought planning since 31st December 2006, when being sold or rented.
1st July 2008:
BER is required for all new non-residential buildings, which sought planning after this date, when being sold or rented.
1st January 2009:
BER is required for existing dwellings and all other buildings when offered for sale or rent after this date.
Exempt Buildings
The following buildings are exempt from the BER scheme:
- Listed national monuments
- Listed buildings of outstanding architecture or historic importance (known as protected structures)
- Buildings used as places of worship or for the religious activities of any religion
- Certain classes of temporary buildings such as site offices
- Industrial buildings not intended for human occupancy over extended periods and where the installed heating capacity does not exceed 10W/m 2
- Non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand
- Small “stand alone” buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50m 2 .
BER Process
To obtain your BER certificate and advisory report you must submit the plans and specification of your building to one of our registered BER assessors. We will examine these plans and using the official assessment software, we will calculate the BER of the Building. In arriving at the resulting BER, the following characteristic of the building will be examined;
- External Building Fabric & Insulation Levels of Walls, Floors & Roofs
- Size, Shape, Volume & Structure of the Building
- The Number, Orientation and Energy Performance of all External Doors & Windows
- Ventilation Method & Air-Tightness test results (if test has been carried out)
- Primary Water and Space Heating Systems and Fuels
- Secondary Water and Space Heating Systems and Fuels
- Renewable energy sources (if any present)
In order to carry out an accurate and representative BER assessment a full set of detailed building drawings and specification will be required from the client.
On completion of the energy rating assessment we will register your BER assessment with SEI to have your official BER certificate released and your BER assessment registered on the SEI database. Following registration of your assessment we will issue you with a BER certificate that is valid for 10 years.
Benefits of a Good Rating
The benefits associated with purchasing or constructing a new building that has a high BER are numerous in both the long and short term. Among other items the benefits of achieving a good BER for your building include:
- Increased Comfort Levels
- Reduced Running Costs
- Better for the Environment
- Maximising Resale Value
- Future Proofing your Property
Obtaining the maximum BER for your new building need not be a very expensive process if it is carefully planned and incorporated into the building design and specification from as early a point as possible in the design and construction phases.
BioPower Energy Savings can provide a preliminary BER assessment of your building, before it is built, with practical advice on how to maximise the energy efficiency and thus the BER of the building.
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