A Building Energy Rating, or BER, is an energy label that indicates the energy performance of your home.
Before we visit your home, you will need to prepare for your BER assessment. This includes gathering documentary evidence for works done on your home, to ensure you are receiving the most accurate BER rating.
Having all your documents and paperwork prepared prior to your assessment will significantly reduce the time it takes to receive your BER Certificate and Advisory Report.
In the absence of relevant documents, as your BER Assessor we will be required to use ‘default values’, which are conservative estimates of the performance of certain aspects of your home. This may result in your home receiving a lower BER rating. Using this checklist will help minimise the use of default values to calculate your BER.
How is a BER calculated?
Your BER is calculated based on the amount of energy your home requires for space heating, hot water heating, ventilation, the building fabric and lighting. In order to complete this calculation, as your BER Assessor we will need to collect information on various aspects of your home.
To collect this information, as your BER Assessor we will need access to all areas of your home including the attic, lighting systems, ventilation, meter cupboards, heating systems and controls, hot press and all doors and windows.
During the BER assessment, as your BER Assessor we will collect information which will include a number of calculations, measurements and photographic evidence of each of these aspects of your home.
How long does a BER assessment take?
This will depend on the complexity and size of your home.
• We will visit the dwelling and capture the necessary data.
• We will then enter all the information collected into software, which is used to calculate and generate your BER and advisory report.
We will be able to advise you on the time required to complete both the assessment and calculations of your home.
Dwelling details to be provided:
Property and Extension Age: Confirmation with legal documents, planning notice, homeowner confirmation in writing etc
MPRN Number: You will find your Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) on a household electricity bill.
Plans or Specifications of the house
• Details of any insulation upgrade works installed (if applicable)
• As-built drawings/specifications (signed off by the architect, engineer or assigned certifier stating the type & thickness of insulation installed or
• Copies of invoices with detailed description of materials (e.g. insulation type, thickness and quantity) or
• Report of works signed off by a contractor showing the area of surface insulated, insulation thickness and type or
• Photographs showing insulation type and thickness
Details of any window upgrade works (if applicable)
• Photographs (e.g., showing frame/glazing),
• Confirmation of window type/glazing specification installed through As-Built Drawings/ Specifications or Invoices
• Certification of the U-value and solar transmittance in the form of the Declaration of Performance or other appropriate accredited certification such as NSAI WEP (Window Energy Performance) scheme or BFRC.
Details of any door upgrade works (if applicable)
• Documentary evidence of door type installed, and
• Certification of the U-value in the form of the Declaration of Performance or other appropriate accredited certification.
Results of any air tightness tests completed (if applicable)
• Ensure that the test was carried out by a registered air tightness tester, an individual or organisation competent to do so (NSAI or INAB accreditation for example).
Information on the heat pump installed (if applicable)
• Information used to support non-default efficiency (e.g. Ecodesign data, EN16147 data and designer/installer sign-off sheet for heat pumps, accredited test certificates, etc.);
• Where Ecodesign documentation is used, an additional declaration from the manufacturer is needed for the use of parameters not required to be included in Ecodesign Product Information.
• For non-default flow temperatures for heat pumps, heating design sheets & radiator technical data sheets
Prepare your home for your assessment
Ensure all areas in your house are unlocked and accessible including attic and garage.
Ensure any outdoor buildings containing heating appliances are unlocked and accessible.
Identify the areas in your home that have been extended or upgraded
Identify the heating system and heating controls
Ask your assessor if the documentation you have provided is sufficient to fully take account of all of your upgrades.
• It may be the case that the documentation did not meet the requirements. This may provide you with an opportunity to source further documentation.
Post BER
Retain a copy of all documentation supporting the inputs in your BER
• This is a record of all upgrades in your home and is important documentation. You may need this evidence for future BERs.
Check your published BER
• You can check your published BER and download a copy of your BER certificate and advisory report here.
Contact Yoarch Ltd if you have any questions regarding your published BER or advisory report
Other Services that you may wish to include with your assessment
Heat Pump Technical Assessments for SEAI grant aid
Architectural Services: Planning Permissions, Tender Packages, Site inspections, Opinions of Compliance
