What is a BER & Why Do I Need it?
BER = Building Energy Rating
Regulations require that every residential property (over 50 sq/m) and commercial building offered for sale or rent must have an energy rating certificate provided by a certified BER assessor. Sustainable Energy Ireland controls all the published BER Certificates and assessors have to be registered with them to be “certified”.
How Does the Rating System Work?
BER is an indicator of the energy performance of a property and the BER scale ranges from "A1" (most efficient and will thus tend to have the lowest energy bills) to "G" (least efficient). The BER cert is valid for 10 years from the date it was awarded.
How is the BER Calculated?
The building energy rating is calculated using Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP). The DEAP software package is used for this calculation measuring the energy performance of properties. It takes into account the construction material used for the property, ventilation, fuel used to provide general and water heating, thermal storage (mass) capacity of the property, external exposure of the property and lighting of the property.
The primary energy consumption is the end result that a BER calculates and this is expressed in kWh per metre squared per annum (kWh/m2/yr) and quantifies the CO2 output in Kg of CO2 per metre squared per annum (kg/CO2/m2/yr). Then a resulting “performance category” is set as per the scale.
Will Recommendations Be Issued From the BER?
The Assessor will make recommended improvements where relevant however there is no obligation to make any of the recommended improvements from the advisory report. Depending on how many recommendations and what type they are, you might be eligible for a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant.
Do I Really Need a BER Certificate if I am Selling My Property?
Yes, you definitely do need a BER certificate because non-compliance can result in a maximum fine of €5,000 or a prison term of up to 3 months, or both. We can provide you with a BER Assessor as part of your Auctioneera package, simply add it to the cart when purchasing your services or contact us on hello@auctioneera.ie.
What Does BER Exempt Mean?
If a property is marked as “BER exempt”, it means that it doesn’t need to have a building energy rating. The SEAI indicate the following types of structures as “BER exempt”.
- national monuments
- protected structures or proposed protected structures - a protected structure is a structure that a planning authority considers to be of special interest from a historical or archaeological perspective
- places of worship or buildings used for the religious activities of any religion
- certain temporary buildings
- industrial buildings not intended for extended human occupancy with a low installed heating capacity (≤10 W/m2)
- non-residential agricultural buildings with a low installed heating capacity (≤10 W/m2)
- stand alone buildings with a small useful floor area (<50m2)