Frequently Asked Questions
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. All new homes (even when not for sale) must have a BER certificate before they are occupied as detailed under S.I. 666 under http://www.environ.ie/en/Legislation/DevelopmentandHousing/BuildingStandards/
A new dwelling (i.e. a dwelling that has never been sold or occupied) is exempt from the BER requirement if it had been the subject of a planning application submitted on or before 31 December 2006 and if it was substantially completed by 30 June 2008. “Substantially completed” means that the external walls have been erected.
BER assessments performed on new dwellings will also help determine compliance to Part L of the Building Regulations.
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. An existing dwelling is a dwelling which has previously been sold and/or occupied.
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.
What Can Be Done to Improve a BER?
The advisory report which accompanies the BER certificate will contain recommendations on how to improve the energy performance of the dwelling. This may encourage the carrying out of energy performance improvement works either:
(i) before the sale or letting of the dwelling, in order to improve the BER/ marketability; or
(ii) after the sale by the purchaser of the dwelling, in order to reduce home heating bills and/or improve home comfort.
Building energy performance options might include measures such as:
- insulating the hot water cylinder and pipework;
- increasing the insulation in the walls/attic/floor;
- installing advanced energy efficient glazing;
- measures to achieve controlled healthy ventilation;
- replacing an old or inefficient boiler with a more efficient boiler;
- installing modern heating controls;
- installing certain types of renewable energy heating systems.
For this reason, the advisory report will be a key document. It may be particularly useful to those who have just purchased an existing dwelling which they plan to improve or remodel in their early stages of occupation.
How will the BER of Existing Dwellings be carried out?
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.
The BER Assessor will normally survey the dwelling to record, for example, the size of the dwelling, the construction, the insulation levels, the types of windows, the ventilation features, details of the heating and hot water systems, etc. This information will then be used to calculate the energy performance of the dwelling and to give it an energy rating.
All BER Assessors will be required to follow a standardised procedure using an approved survey and calculation methodology to arrive at a rating.
