IRELAND: What is a BER & why is it needed?

Indians Daily 📧: newsindiansdaily@gmail.com February 17, 2023 0

What is a BER? & Why BER is needed ?

Building Energy Rating for Properties BER = Building Energy Rating.

Regulations require all residential properties (over 50 sq/m) and commercial buildings offered for sale or rent to have an energy rating certificate issued by a certified BER assessor. All published BER certificates are administered by Sustainable Energy Ireland and assessors must register with them to become "certified".

How does the rating system work?

BER is an indicator of a property's energy performance, and the BER scale ranges from "A1" (most efficient and therefore will have the lowest energy bills) to "G" (least efficient). BER certificate is valid for 10 years from the date of its issue.

Enter the BER number or MPRN to review the BER certificate for the property.

BER/DEC Number:

A building is assigned a BER/DEC number when the first BER/DEC is published. This is the 9 digit number printed on the BER/DEC certificate.

MPRN:

The Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) is the building's ESB meter number. This is the 11-digit number printed on your electricity bill.

Check the SEAI National BER Register

How is BER calculated?

The building energy rating is calculated using the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP). The DEAP software package is used for this calculation, which measures the energy performance of properties. Consideration is given to the building materials used for the property, ventilation, fuel for general and water heating, heat storage (mass) capacity of the property, external exposure of the property and lighting of the property.

The primary energy consumption is the final result calculated by a BER, expressed in units per meter squared per year (kWh/m2/yr) and the CO2 output is calculated in Kg of CO2 per meter per year (kg/CO2/m2 /year). Then the resulting "performance category" is set according to the scale.

Recommendations from BER?

There is no obligation to make any improvements recommended from the advisory report but the assessor will make the improvements recommended in the relevant case. Depending on how many recommendations you have and what type they are, you may be eligible for a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) grant.

What does BER exclusion mean?

If a property is marked "BER Exempt", it means it does not require a Building Energy Rating. SEAI refers to the following types of structures as "BER exemptions".

National monuments
Protected Structures or Proposed Protected Structures – (a protected structure is a structure which a planning authority considers to be of particular interest from a historical or archaeological point of view)
Places of worship or buildings used for religious activities of any religion
Some temporary buildings
Industrial buildings not intended for extended human occupancy with low heating capacity (≤10 W/m2)
Non-residential agricultural buildings with low installed heating capacity (≤10 W/m2)
Detached buildings with a small useful floor area (<50m2).
Is a BER certificate really required if selling the property?
Yes, you definitely need a BER certificate as non-compliance can result in a maximum fine of €5,000 or up to 3 months in prison or both. .