| Building Energy Rating is your way of knowing how | | | | DEAP or Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure. The |
| your building is faring energy wise. If you follow the | | | | DEAP takes in to account the energy required for |
| guide lines of the advisory report that accompany | | | | Space Heating, Ventilation, Water Heating, Lighting, |
| the BER you can make the dwelling energy efficient | | | | less savings from the energy generation technologies. |
| as well. | | | | For standardized occupancy it calculates annual |
| What is BER? | | | | primary energy consumption, delivered energy |
| A BER is an energy label for a dwelling whether | | | | consumption and CO 2 emissions (both totals and per |
| domestic or non-domestic. It is similar to the electrical | | | | unit floor area of the building).Both software based |
| appliance energy labeling found in, for example in your | | | | and Excel format based calculation procedures are |
| fridge. The label has a colour coded scale of A to G | | | | practiced. |
| with 15 sub divisions in between. A- rated homes are | | | | The factors considered for DEAP based BER |
| the most energy efficient and G the least efficient. | | | | - Size, geometry and exposure of the building |
| The BER in addition gives you an indication how “ | | | | - Materials used for the construction of the building |
| green ” your building is, through an estimated | | | | - Thermal insulation of the different elements of the |
| annual CO 2 emission per unit house area figure. | | | | building shell |
| Who needs it? | | | | - Ventilation characteristics of the building and the |
| From the 1st of January 2009 a BER certificate is | | | | ventilation equipment |
| compulsory for all dwellings being sold or rented in | | | | - Efficiency, responsiveness and control |
| Ireland . If you are buying or renting a new house or | | | | characteristics of the heating system |
| apartment now, you are entitled to a BER .The seller, | | | | - Solar gains through glazed openings of the dwelling |
| landlord or in their absence their agent is legally bound | | | | - Thermal Storage capacity (building mass) of the |
| to provide this to you. Why? Because your future | | | | dwelling |
| energy bills will depend on the dwellings energy | | | | - The fuel used for space heating and water heating, |
| performance and BER will highlight it. If you build it | | | | ventilation and lighting |
| new for your own use, still you will have to obtain | | | | - Renewable and alternative energy generation |
| and retain a BER certification according to the new | | | | technologies incorporated in the building. |
| regulations. | | | | Standardized factors |
| Who assesses a BER? | | | | If you are thinking of improving the energy efficiency |
| BER assessment has to be carried out by specialized | | | | of your building and have a higher BER all aspects of |
| personnel qualified, competent and trained in the job. | | | | the energy rating should be taken in to account. |
| They have to be duly registered with the SEI, the | | | | Standardized assumptions of occupancy, levels and |
| ultimate authority responsible for managing and | | | | duration of Heating, usage of domestic electrical |
| maintaining the scheme. | | | | appliances etc. used is thus not influencing the BER |
| The basis of BER computation | | | | computations though the actual individual behavioral |
| The Irish official procedure for calculating and | | | | patterns may vary. |
| assessing the energy performance of buildings is the | | | | |