Building Energy Rating Summary

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 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 will be expressed in terms of Kilowatt-hours per square metre floor area per year (kWh/m2/yr) and transposed graphically in the form of performance bands A1 (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient). The information will form the basis of a BER Certificate, the format of which can be seen on this page. The BER must also be accompanied by an advisory report. The BER is valid for up to 10 years.

A BER certificate means a certificate in a prescribed form (see example at top of the page) 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 (Sustainable Energy Ireland). BER's are to be fully implemented by January 2009.

For more information click here.