All new houses for which planning permission was applied for on after 1st January 2007 require a BER Certificate. BER denotes the Building Energy Rating, an objective scale of comparison for the energy performance and efficiency of a building ranging from A1 to G. The certificate is issued by a qualified Building Energy Assessor registered with SEI (Sustainable Energy Ireland). It is similar to the mpg (or l/km) rating for a motorcar or the A to G rating for a household electrical appliance.
A BER 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. A BER of an existing dwelling being offered for sale or letting on or after 1 January 2009 must be carried out by a BER assessor, at the expense of the vendor or landlord - who must provide the resulting BER certificate and advisory report to prospective buyers/tenants.
All BER assessors will be required to follow a standardised procedure using an approved survey and calculation methodology to arrive at a rating. Further information on the BER, including indicative costs, is available from www.sei.ie |
