From next month, all houses on the market will have to have a Building Energy Rating certificate. What does this mean for homeowners, renters and landlords?
WHEN THE Building Energy Rating (BER) assessor came by it was a cold two degrees outside and we were all wearing our fleeces indoors - even with the blinds down, curtains drawn and the heating on. Good recyclers and energy-conscious home owners, we thought we'd do okay.
We knew we would be nowhere close to the top of the scale but we thought we might scrape through with a D. The house was partially carpeted. We had blinds on our double-glazed windows and draught proofing on the front doors. However, the assessor, James Carroll of greenthinking.ie, explained how the cavity walls were letting cold air in. Pumping polystyrene bead insulation into the cavities would be the only way to reduce this huge loss of heat, he explained.
Meanwhile, our stylish flame-effect gas fires were merely cosmetic, he added. Ironically, just three years ago, we had taken out a stove and replaced it with this gas fire. Replacing the two gas fires with either glass-fronted gas heaters or stoves was recommended.
In the hall, the original 1950s floors that the estate agent had promoted in his sales pitch were seeping in cold air. The patio doors in the dining room had undesirable air vents.
Moving upstairs to the converted attic, the lack of proper insulation became obvious to us. Better than none at all, the assessor said kindly, and, along with filling in the gaps next to the patio door, improving the attic insulation was something we could get started on next weekend. Two days later, the BER certificate arrived by e-mail. Let's just say it was below a D.
FROM NEXT MONTH, all houses put on the market for sale or for rent will be legally bound to have a BER certificate.
This certificate will rate the house's energy efficiency on a scale of A to G and belong to the house for 10 years unless significant work is carried out in the meantime. BER certificates, which are part of the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, have been required for all new homes let or sold since January 2007.
"We're currently getting about 500 calls to our helpdesk a week about BERs," explains Kevin O'Rourke, head of built environment at Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the State agency in charge of implementing the Energy Performance of Buildings directive.
"There is a growing awareness among the general public about the requirements of having a BER when selling or letting a house and also a growing awareness about the entitlement of having a BER certificate when buying a house," says O'Rourke.
The purpose of the directive is to improve the energy performance of all buildings across Europe and develop common building standards. The BER assessment itself measures the energy performance of an individual house, taking several factors into consideration. It is carried out by a BER assessor, registered with SEI and involves about two hours' work in your home, followed by calculations and the issuing of a BER certificate and an advisory report on how you can improve the energy rating of your home.
"We look at the type of house (semi-detached, bungalow or apartment), the size of the living room area and the number of storeys," says Carroll.
"Then, we assess everything from the types of ventilation, the wall, roof, floor, window and door insulation, the main space heating system (whether there are thermostats, zone controls, separation of domestic hot water and space heating) to the efficiency of the water heater, hot water storage insulation, hot water controls and percentage of low-energy lights."
Once the assessment is complete, the house is graded and issued with its BER certificate. In advance of widespread uptake of BER assessment, SEI has indicated ratings for typical homes from different periods. According to these estimates, houses built in the 1980s would typically get a D1 rating, houses built in the 1990s would get a C2 rating, houses built since 2000 a C1 and those built this year (that had to comply with new building regulations) will get a B1.
Houses built before the 1980s, would, according to O'Rourke, typically get somewhere between a D2 and E1. So, energy efficiency aside for a moment, the question on everyone's lips is, what difference will it make to the price of the property?
O'Rourke answers: "It won't supplant location in people's judgment but when there are two properties in a similar area, a premium will apply to the house with a superior BER.
"Also, a property with a poor BER could be expected to be slower to sell - all other things equal. People may also be sensitive to their house having a poor BER rating, which might encourage them to make some improvements before selling," he says. "Purchasers will also be assisted by an advisory report issued with BER certificates when it comes to remodelling a house."
According to O'Rourke, the key point about the BER certificate is that it is a visible signal of the energy performance of a building in the property market. "It will then be weighed in balance with other factors."
TO DATE, JUST UNDER 1,000 people have registered with SEI as BER assessors for newly built or second-hand houses. "Although there were over 3,000 people who completed certified BER courses, many of them have not registered yet. However, we are confident that we have enough assessors, particularly in the current climate," says O'Rourke. He advises home-owners to shop around for the best price but always to choose someone who is registered with the SEI. This ensures they have completed training courses that meet the SEI specification.
There is no set fee to obtain a BER certificate as costs will vary depending on the size, age and various heating systems in the house. From start to finish, the process shouldn't take more than two weeks.
BER: THE FACTS
What is a BER?A Building Energy Rating is a rating of the energy performance of a building using a scale of A to G
(G is least efficient).
Which houses need one?All newly-built houses sold or let since January 2007 require a BER certificate. From January all houses sold or let must have a BER certificate. There are fines of up to €5,000 for non-compliance.
What happens during an assessment?An assessor calculates the energy performance of a house by looking carefully at the ventilation systems, the type and quality of wall, roof, floor, window and door insulation, draught proofing, the type and efficiency of space and water heating systems, light bulbs, and so on. The survey of your home should take between one and two hours depending on the size and age of the house.
Where can I find an assessor?Sustainable Energy Ireland has contact details of almost 1,000 registered BER assessors. See sei.ie/ber.
How much will a BER assessment cost?There is no set fee for a BER assessment, however expect to pay between €300 and €500, depending on your home.
