FAQs - Ber Kerry

A Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate is an indication of the energy performance of a home. A BER is similar to the energy label for a household electrical appliance. The label has a scale from A-G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient and will tend to have the lowest energy bills, likewise G-rated dwellings would be the least efficient and have higher energy bills. A BER certificate is accompanied by an Advisory Report which identifies how you might improve the energy performance of your home. This report is based on the information gathered and input into the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure or DEAP.

A BER is required under the following circumstances:

• The building owner must obtain a BER before a new building is occupied for the first time regardless of whether it is offered for sale or rent.
• When a new or existing building is offered for sale or rent the seller / renter must provide a BER to prospective buyers or tenants.

BER details must be included in advertisements when a building is offered for sale or rent. BER assessments performed on new builds also help determine compliance to Part L of the Building Regulations.

All BER Assessors are trained in accordance with the SEAI training guidelines and must pass an exam to attain the qualification of BER Assessor. Subsequently, every 2 years the Assessor must pass an exam in order to prove his/her competence.

Assessors are randomly audited by SEAI in order to demonstrate proper procedures in completing BER assignments. The Quality Assurance and Disciplinary Procedures implemented by SEAI, ensures that both the quality and integrity of the BER scheme is maintained.

A BER Certificate is valid for ten years. If during this period, extensive work is undertaken on a property, for example insulation work, new windows, extensions, or partial demolition etc; then the original BER is no longer valid. A provisional BER Certificate, produced from the plans of a new build, is valid for a maximum of two years. The BER Assessor is required to keep proper records and documentation regarding individual BER’s for a period of 10 years.

There is no set time. Most inspections for an average 2-3 bedroom dwelling can be completed in or around 1 hour. Some inspections can take several hours, depending on the size, configuration and various building elements within the dwelling.