Building Energy Rating Overview
What is Building Energy Rating (BER)?
Building Energy Rating (BER) applies to buildings including new and existing dwellings.
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was transposed into Irish law on the 4th of January 2006. Article 7 of the EPBD requires that when a building is constructed, sold or rented a BER detailing its energy consumption must be made available to the prospective buyers or tenants.
A BER gives an objective scale of comparison for the energy demand and energy performance of a building.
It is rather like the miles per gallon rating for a vehicle or the A to G rating for an electrical appliance. The BER will allow prospective buyers or tenants to factor energy performance and costs into their comparison of different properties.
The BER is expressed in terms of kilowatt-hours per square metre floor area per year (kWh/m2/annum) and transposed graphically in the form of performance bands A1 (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient). This information forms the basis of a BER certificate, the format of which is illustrated in Figure 1. The BER must also be accompanied by an advisory report. BER is valid for up to 10 years.
What is a BER certificate?
A BER certificate means a certificate in a prescribed form, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, on the basis of a BER assessment, which is held and may be viewed in electronic form on the BER register, and may be reproduced and issued in printed form by or on behalf of the issuing authority.
What is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)?
The EPBD is a piece of legislation that all European Union (EU) Member States must enact. The purpose of the EPBD is to promote improvements in the energy performance of all buildings across Europe. The complete text of the Directive (Directive 2002/91/EC) can be found at http://www.sei.ie/epbd.
The principal objectives of the directive are:
- To promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings across the EU through cost effective measures.
- To promote the convergence of building standards of Member States.
The measures to be implemented in each EU Member State include:
- Methodology for calculating the energy performance of buildings.
- Application of performance standards for new and existing buildings.
- BER schemes for buildings offered for sale or rent.
- Feasibility assessment of alternative energy systems for buildings over 1000m2
Successful implementation of the EPBD is seen as a key initiative in the implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy Ireland and to meeting EU commitments made under the Kyoto Protocol.
What is the Kyoto Protocol?
The Kyoto Protocol is a document signed by about one hundred and eighty countries at Kyoto, Japan in December 1997. The Protocol commits thirty-eight industrialised countries to cut their emissions of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases is a term used for gases like Carbon Dioxide (CO2) which are mainly generated as a result of burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and petrol.
Buildings are a major consumer of energy. Around 40% of final energy consumption in the EU is attributed to the buildings sector. Research has indicated that by improving the energy efficiency of buildings, CO2 emissions could be reduced by 22%.
How is BER calculated?
A BER for a dwelling is calculated using the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP) published by Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI). The DEAP is the national methodology adopted, as required by the EPBD, for calculating the energy rating of new homes and is based on the draft European Standard prEN 13790.
In addition the DEAP software will also calculate the CO2 emissions associated with dwelling energy use as required by the Building regulations (Part L Amendment) Regulations 2008.
The DEAP software is available for download from www.sei.ie.
Who is Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI)?
SEI is a statutory authority set up by the government in 2002 with the remit of promoting the development of sustainable energy.
SEI in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DOEHLG) and the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (DCMNR) are jointly responsible for implementing the requirements of the EPBD. SEI is responsible for publishing the national methodology adopted for assessing energy rating of dwellings as required by the EPBD.
How will BER of a dwelling be carried out?
New dwellings will have their BER calculated off the plans. The BER and advisory report will be produced by a specially trained BER assessor who is registered with SEI.
Is BER a requirement of the Building Regulations?
No. Amendments to the Building Regulations implemented Articles 3, 4, 5 (part of) and 6 of the EPBD in relation to CO2 emissions, Article 7, which relates to BER is outside the scope of the Building Regulations. However, the same method (DEAP) used to calculate BER is also used to demonstrate compliance with Building Regulations Requirement L3 (a) in relation to Primary Energy Consumption and CO2 emissions.
Article 7 of the EPBD was transposed into law in Ireland by the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 which were published by the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government in December 2006 (Statutory Instrument S.I. No. 666 of 2006). These regulations are available from: Government Publications Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. A copy of the Regulations can also be downloaded from www.sei.ie/epbd.
Building Regulations (Part L Amendment) 2008 must still be complied with. This issue is dealt with in Right on the site 28: Building Regulations (Part L Amendment) Regulations 2008 – Conservation of Fuel and Energy – Dwellings, which details how compliance with Building Regulations requirements in relation to CO2 emissions, Primary Energy Consumption, fabric insulation levels, thermal bridging, air infiltration, heating system controls and pipework insulation can be achieved.
Are any buildings exempt from BER?
The EPBD will apply to almost all buildings, both new and existing. However, Article 3 of S.I. No. 666 of 2006 provides exemptions for the following categories of buildings: Historical, architectural importance (protected structures), religious buildings, buildings of low occupancy or size and certain agricultural buildings.
At what stage will BER be carried out?
Persons selling dwellings off plans will be required to provide prospective buyers with a provisional BER. Figure 2 illustrates the format of the provisional BER certificate. A registered BER assessor must calculate this BER. A provisional BER lapses on completion of the dwelling or after 24 months whichever is sooner. A provisional BER is reproduced in black and white.
On the completion of construction of any dwelling for which a provisional BER is generated, a BER certificate and related advisory report, which takes account of any changes implemented during its construction relative to the plans, specifications or other data on which the provisional BER was based shall, be produced to any purchaser or tenant before completion of such sale or letting. Figure 1 illustrates the format of the final BER certificate.
As stipulated by the Amended Building Control Act 1990, section 6B (5) (a) and (b), a Building Control Authority may also request the production of BER certificate.
As mentioned earlier, BER is calculated using the DEAP and is based on the following data:
- Built form (e.g. apartment, semi-detached, detached, bungalow, etc.)
- Area of house
- Size of the living room area
- Number of storeys
- Ventilation air leakage characteristics (e.g. chimneys, flues, fans, air leakage testing)
- Types of ventilation (e.g. natural, mechanical, heat recovery)
- Thermal insulation (i.e. U-values of floor, walls, roof, windows and doors)
- Efficiency of main space heating system %
- Primary fuel/Heating system (e.g. gas, oil, wood pellet, etc.)
- Efficiency of secondary space heating system %
- Emitters (e.g. radiators, underfloor heating, etc.)
- Heating system controls (e.g. thermostat,
- type of programmer, zone controls, thermostatic valves, separation of domestic
hot water and space heating) - Efficiency of water heater %
- Hot water storage insulation (i.e. type and thickness)
- Hot water controls
- % of low energy lights
What information will an Advisory Report for a newly constructed dwelling contain?
The Advisory Report will contain information on maximising the energy efficiency of a newly constructed dwelling. For example, advice on the following items may be provided:
- In relation to the heating system, guidance on setting and adjustment of automatic and programmable controls.
- Appropriate room temperatures
- Boiler servicing
- Use of night saver electricity, where available
- Types of energy efficient lighting
