Importance Of BER Certification For Energy Conservation

BER certification indicates the energy efficiency of a building. It came into effect in Ireland in January 2007 and is being implemented in a phased manner. It covers all the constructed, sold, or rented buildings. The BER certificate and report need to be submitted for non-residential buildings, public service buildings, and existing dwellings. This concept is an approach to conserve the natural resources. It aims at encouraging home energy conservation and efficiency. It is applicable not only to individuals, but also to commercial clients. The concept came up as a result of global warming. It is important that each one of us understands our social responsibility toward nature. BER certification is a step in this direction. It may be shocking to know the amount of energy we consume each year. On an average, every household spends 2,000 pounds on home energy bills. Out of this, 80 percent of the amount is spent on heating. If you care for the environment, then do not wait any longer, get energy saving survey done immediately. Thus you will you save the environment. Besides, there are other advantages. Here is what you can expect from a home energy saving survey.

How Does It Work?

Typically, a survey will evaluate your home and prepare a detailed report on what kind of upgrades will be appropriate for your home. It will also give information about the total cost involved in upgrading, the amount of savings you can expect, and the payback period. There are companies that can conduct a survey for you and apply for BER certification. The company will:

* Apply for the available grants on your behalf;
* Apply for Green Finance on your behalf;
* Manage the installation process;
* Provide a certificate on the completion of work.

Apart from these services, you can expect the company to conduct commercial energy audits, energy saving upgrade reports, and energy upgrade installations. Having understood the process, the next question on your mind will be "How much can I save?" This will depend on the survey report. However, we can give you an idea about the potential savings.

How Much Can You Save?

The company will take many measures that can drastically increase your savings over a period. Given below are the potential savings that you can expect through these upgrades.

Measures BER Improvement Payback Periodr
Roof insulation 10-20% 3-6 yearsr
Cavity wall insulation 15-20% 4-5 yearsr
Internal wall insulation 25-30% 7-10 yearsr
Exte
al wall insulation 25-30% 15-20 yearsr
Boiler & Controls Upgrade 25-30% 4-5 yearsr
Heating Controls Upgrade 15 -25% 4-5 years

This is an estimation of the potential savings that you can expect from BER certification. However, the actual savings can be confirmed only after a thorough survey is conducted at your home. It does not cost much to get a survey done. Nevertheless, it is important that you select the right assessor for this job. Your ratings can be good or bad depending on the time, effort, and efficiency of the company you hire for conducting this energy audit. It is good to have the best rating, as this certificate will be valid for 10 years.