BER Certification

As part of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate, which is effectively an energy label, will be required at the point of sale or rental of a building, or on completion of a new building.

• What is a BER cert?
• Who Needs a BER cert?
• Implementation Dates in Ireland?
• How Long will a BER Remain Valid?
• Who Can Carry Out the BER?
• Who pays for a BER?
• BER for Non Domestic Buildings
• FIND A BER ASSESSOR

What is a BER?

A BER is similar to the energy label for a household electrical appliance like your fridge. The label has a scale of A-G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient and G the least efficient.

A BER certificate will be compulsory for almost all new homes by mid 2008. If you are buying or renting a new house or apartment now, you may already be entitled to a BER - so do ask the seller/landlord or their agent for it.

From the 1st of January 2009 a BER certificate will be compulsory for all homes being sold or rented.

BERs will be carried out by specially trained BER assessors, registered by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).

It is an offence for persons not registered with SEI as BER assessors to purport to carry out a BER assessment service for the purposes of the Regulations.

To see what a Building Energy Rating Certificate looks like please click here

Who needs a BER cert?

A seller must provide a BER cert to prospective buyers or tenants when a home is constructed, sold or rented under the following circumstances:

• New homes where planning permission was applied for on or after the 1st of January 2007
• All homes for sale or rent on or after the 1st of January 2009

What are the BER Implementation Dates in Ireland?

The requirement to provide a BER is being introduced on a phased basis as follows:

New dwellings: The regulations apply to new dwellings for which planning permission was applied for on or after 1st January 2007. Transitional BER exemptions will apply to new dwellings for which planning permission is applied on or before 31st December 2006, where the new dwellings involved are substantially completed on or before 30th June 2008.

New Non-Domestic Buildings: The regulations apply to new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission was applied for on or after 1st July 2008. Transitional BER exemptions will apply to new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission is applied on or before 30th June 2008 provided the new non-domestic buildings involved are substantially completed by 30th June 2010.

Existing Buildings: (dwellings and other buildings) when offered for sale or letting on or after 1st January 2009.

Large Public Service Buildings: A public body shall, in relation to a large building occupied by it on or after 1 January 2009, secure and display a BER certificate in a prominent place clearly visible to the public.

How Long will a BER Remain Valid?

A BER certificate for a building will be valid for 10 years from the date of its being issued, unless there is a material change in the building in the meantime which could affect its energy performance - for example an extension to the building, a significant change to the building fabric or a change in the heating system or fuel used.

Therefore if a property which has received a BER is placed on the market within 10 years of that BER being issued, and the property has experienced no relevant alteration in the meantime, then that same BER may be used by the building owner for the purposes of meeting their obligations under the Regulations.

Who Can Carry Out the BER?

BER assessments are carried out by registered BER assessors who have trained under the National Framework of Qualifications and have registered with SEI.

BER assessors must meet requirements set by SEI, including the signing up to a Code of Practice

It is an offence for persons not registered with SEI as BER assessors to purport to carry out a BER assessment service for the purposes of the Regulations.

Who pays for a BER?

Any fee for a BER for a dwelling will be payable by the owner (directly or through their agent) and is responsible for any fees payable to the BER assessor.

BER for Non Domestic Buildings

A Building Energy Rating (BER) and advisory report is to be supplied by the owner to a prospective buyer or tenant when constructed, sold or rented. The BER is intended to give prospective buyers and tenants information about the energy performance of buildings. the BER also gives builders/developers and vendors/landlords, an incentive to upgrade the energy performance of the building by giving visible credit to superior standards.

The BER must be accompanied by an "Advisory Report" setting out recommendations for cost-effective improvements to the energy performance of the building. However there will be no legal obligation on vendors or prospective purchasers to carry out the recommended improvements.

Implementation Dates

• 1 July 2008 - BER of new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission is applied on/after that date.
• 1 January 2009 - BER of existing buildings, when offered for sale or rent.

BER Assessment Process

The building owner must engage a registered BER assessor to carry out assessments. The BER assessor follows the national calculation methodology (NEAP)  to calculate the BER and generate the advisory report. The assessment is submitted for publication on the national BER register.

BER Certificate

The BER is an indicator of energy performance covering energy use for space heating and cooling, water heating, ventilation and lighting, calculated on the basis of standard operating patterns. It is accompanied by a CO2 emissions indicator. To see what a BER Certificate looks like please click here.