EuroBer

EuroBer is a Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland approved and fully certified Building Energy Rating provider which offers a complete professional energy rating service nationwide. We specialise in Residential & Commercial BER's and all our assessors have either Architecture or Engineering backgrounds and all hold FETAC Certification.

A Building Energy Rating (BER) label is a standardised way to examine and represent the energy performance of a property, the building fabric and its heating supply are surveyed.

The results are entered into a computer programme that calculates standardised heating demand and performance. It is standardised because we all use energy very differently, standardised comfort conditions remove personal variations and give us consistent comparisons. The combined results of heating demand and supply produce the Energy Label, similar to the labels currently used on domestic appliances. The label has a scale of A-G. A-rated homes are the most energy efficient and G the least efficient.

With Energy prices on the increase and BER certs lasting for 10 years, it pays to have the best rating done, as your properties value in a few years will be significantly impacted by the BER rating it has.

Grant Aid towards your BER Assessment of €50 is available from SEAI's Better Energy Homes Scheme. In order to avail of this grant aid you must upgrade two measures from the list of approved measures. Visit www.seai.ie for more information and to apply for your grant TODAY.

When the survey has been carried our BER Assessor will enter the details obtained from your house into a system and issue you BER Certification & Advisory Report. The Advisory report is issued to you outlining the various improvements that can be made to your property to improve the efficiency & energy rating of the property. Once published the BER Certificate is valid for a period of 10 years.

Sample copy of typical BER Certificate with different ratings with A for a higher efficient property & G for a very energy inefficient property.

FAQ

The requirements to provide a BER is as follows:

• New dwellings: The regulations apply to new dwellings for which planning permission was applied for on or after 1st January 2007. Transitional BER exemptions will apply to new dwellings for which planning permission is applied on or before 31st December 2006, where the new dwellings involved are substantially completed on or before 30th June 2008.

• New Non-Domestic Buildings: The regulations apply to new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission was applied for on or after 1st July 2008. Transitional BER exemptions will apply to new non-domestic buildings for which planning permission is applied on or before 30th June 2008 provided the new non-domestic buildings involved are substantially completed by 30th June 2010.

• Existing Buildings: (dwellings and other buildings) when offered for sale or letting on or after 1st January 2009.

• Large Public Service Buildings: A public body shall, in relation to a large building occupied by it on or after 1 January 2009, secure and display a BER certificate in a prominent place clearly visible to the public.

A BER is based on the characteristics of major components of the dwelling i.e.:

• wall, roof, and floor dimensions,
• window and door sizes and orientations
• construction type and levels of insulation,
• ventilation and air tightness features,
• the systems for heat supply,
• the type of lighting

BER covers annual energy use for space, heating, water supply, ventilation, lighting and associated pumps and fans calculated on the basis of a national standard family with a standard pattern of occupancy.

The energy performance is expressed as

• primary energy use per unit floor area, which is represented on a scale of A-G
• associated CO2 emissions per metre squared per year

What is a Non Domestic BER Certificate?

A Commercial BER Certificate is a label, not unlike the efficiency rating given to white goods such as freezers, fridges, and washing machines. The label is a 21 point scale and indicates the energy rating of a property. The rating is expressed in the form of performance bands with 'A' being the most energy efficient and 'G' the least efficient.

Are there grants available for carrying out a BER?

Yes, The Better Energy Homes Scheme offers grants for energy saving home improvements which includes a BER Assessment. Grants are available up to €600 for installation of Cavity Wall Insulation , Attic Insulation & BER Assessment. Grants are only available for Residential homes. Visit www.eurobead.ie or www.seai.ie for more information.