What is a BER (Building Energy Rating) Certificate ?
Our 300 BER Assessors will bid to complete your energy rating certificate.
A BER Certificate is compulsory for practically all properties being offered for sale or let in Ireland since 1st January 2009. Is a rating or score that shows prospective buyers and tenants exactly how energy efficient the building is. This means how well the dwelling or building retains heat inside, which means that lower rated homes lose heat quickly and are inefficient at generating heat and power and homes with a higher B.E.R. rating, retain heat better, which makes them less expensive to run with lower monthly energy electricity, gas and fuel bills.
Who needs a B.E.R. Certificate?
Any property owner who is selling or letting a property (commercial or residential) must provide a Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate to the prospective tenants or buyers. This will increase their knowledge of the building and allow them to make a better informed decision. The idea behind BER Certificates is to encourage home owners to insulate their homes and use energy efficient appliances to invrease their homes value and decrease energy bills and reliance on fossil fuels. The BER initiative is a European wide scheme.
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Who completes B.E.R. Certs?
Only a qualified Building Energy Rating Assessor, registered with Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland can complete and publish a BER Certificate. With each BER Certificate an Advistory Report shows home owners specific ways that the building's energy efficiency could be improved.
How long is a BER Certificate valid for?
Typically a BER Certificate is valid for ten years, unless major work is carried out on a property, for example insulation work, extensions, demolotion etc.
BER History
The Kyoto Protocol was agreed by 37 industrial nations in Japan in 1997. It's purpose is to reduce or stabalise the planets overall greenhouse and other co2 gas emissions into the earths atmosphere and to help minimise their impact on the earths climate. A European Union directive, The Energy Performance of Buiidings Directive requires all member states to implement a B.E.R. system to help achieve these goals.
Does it take long to prepare a BER Certificate?
No, A BER may require a visit to the property by the BER Assessor who will complete a survey. An average home survey would take less than two hours. Then once completed, the Assessor completes the certificate calculations over a period of approximately two hours (for an average home). Excluding external factors, a BER Certificate could be completed in one day.
BER Assessors and SEAI
Building Energy Rating Assessors are registered by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (www.seai.ie). Commerical BER Assessors are qualified to provide BER Certificates for commercial properties, which are also required when selling or letting a property.
Exemptions
The following buildings are exempt from requiring BER Certificates: protected structures, national monumnets, places of worship, non residential agricultural buildings, stand alone buildings with total floor area less than 50sq/m and industrial buildings with an installed heat capacity that does not exceed 10W/m2.
Better Energy Homes Scheme
The government Better Energy Homes Scheme (formerly the Home Energy Saving Scheme) is available to incentivise home owners to improve the energy performance of their homes by helping with the cost of installing various upgrade measures. The scheme offers cash grants which are fixed, regardless of home size. Payment is made by Electronic Funds Transfer to the applicant's bank account. Grants are available for attic, cavity wall, external wall, internal wall insulation, high efficiency oil boilers, gas boilers with controls upgrade, heating controls upgrade, solar heating and Building Energy Rating Certificates. Click here to visit seai.ie.
What if I lose my B.E.R. Certificate?
www.seai.ie maintain an online database of B.E.R. Certificates so you can easily get a copy of yours here. You will need your B.E.R. number or your E.S.B. M.P.R.N. number.
BerCert.com have over 300 registered BER Assessors across Ireland waiting to quote you to complete your Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate.
Click here to get started.
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