TURNING UP THE HEAT WITH THE NEW BER SCHEME
On 1st January 2007 the new Building Energy Rating (BER) scheme was established under the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No.666 of 2006). The Scheme is to be managed by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). A BER is a form of energy efficiency label for your home similar to the energy label on your fridge or washing machine.
Under this scheme all new homes built on foot of planning permission applied for on or after 1st January 2007 will require a BER Certificate.
The scheme will be extended to apply to all homes for sale or rent on or after 1st January 2009.
So how is a BER calculated?
A BER is based on an assessment of the major components of the dwelling (including walls, roof, windows and floor dimensions) together with the construction type, levels of insulation, ventilation, systems of heat supply and lighting supply. Your home will be allocated an energy rating based on a scale of A-G. A rated homes being the most energy efficient and G being the least. The energy performance of your home is expressed as:
- primary energy use per unit floor area per year; and
- associated Carbon Dioxide emissions
Benefits of a BER
With rising energy costs, homeowners have been faced with increasing electricity and heating bills. Prospective purchasers and tenants will be keen to ensure their property is energy efficient. A property with a BER certificate will be more attractive to a potential purchaser or tenant than an older less energy efficient home.
While a BER certificate will be compulsory for almost all new homes from 2008, owners and landlords of older dwellings who wish to sell or rent their property, can also obtain a BER certificate. You can arrange for a BER assessment of your home to be carried out by one of the registered BER assessors. A list of registered BER assessors is available online at www.sei.ie/ber. A BER certificate is valid for 10 years provided there is no material change to the dwelling that would affect its energy performance.
For the purposes of the scheme, apartments are treated the same as dwelling houses and require an individual BER certificate if they are being sold or rented out.
Penalties
Homeowners and Landlords should be aware that non–compliance with the requirements of the BER scheme can result in fines of up to €5,000.
For more information on the new BER scheme you should visit the SEI website listed above or contact
Marie O’Riordan
Solicitor
moriordan@hayes-solicitors.ie