Energy assessors and accreditation schemes
To safeguard consumers, the only person who is able to produce an EPC is an accredited energy assessor. Accreditation schemes ensure energy assessors are competent and possess the appropriate skills to conduct these assessments.
Finding an accredited energy assessor
In February 2008, the Minister for Finance and Personnel approved for operation in Northern Ireland those Accreditation Schemes approved by the relevant Secretary of State in England and Wales. The Department for Social Development Minister endorsed this approach in relation to housing.
The energy assessor is responsible for carrying out an energy assessment on your building with reasonable care and skill and for producing an EPC and recommendation report following the assessment. They are also responsible for entering the certificate onto the national register before giving it to the person who commissioned it.
Accreditation schemes ensure energy assessors are competent and possess the appropriate skills to conduct these assessments. An individual is required to either have a recognised qualification from an awarding body or approved prior experience and learning equivalent to the National Occupational Standard requirements.
The energy assessor must use the latest version of the approved calculation methods software to produce the EPC and recommendation report.
To find an assessor in your area, or to check the validity of an EPC, please visit the Register at: Find an energy certificate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Energy assessor qualification and accreditation
To protect consumers, certificates must only be produced by 'suitably qualified' and competent assessors. 'Suitably qualified' refers to an individual having either a qualification or approved prior experience and learning equivalent to the National Occupational Standard requirements relevant to the specific occupation for which the individual seeks accreditation.
Energy assessors will be responsible for carrying out key tasks related to the new energy efficiency measures. This will include producing certificates and inspecting air conditioning systems.
While a number of organisations currently offer energy assessment services, EPCs and DECs may only be produced by an accredited energy assessor.
The Department issued correspondence to all accreditation schemes explaining the importance of Energy Assessors working within their defined remit.
What qualifications are required?
Energy assessors should hold a current qualification in energy inspection. This forms part of a National Occupational Standard in Energy Inspection and will demonstrate technical competence to produce a certificate. The qualification has been approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Agency. Qualification bodies have developed assessment procedures that align with the National Occupational Standard.
Qualifications awarded may cover specific areas of energy inspection (for example, the use of some, but not all, of the standard methodologies for assessing energy performance, or the use of a particular methodology in certain types of building but not other types).The energy assessor may only conduct inspections in areas covered by their current qualification and accreditation system.
Qualifications awarded may be limited in further ways (for example, the qualification may only remain valid for a certain number of years, or may require the energy assessor to be supervised in some way during a probationary period). The energy assessor will only be able to conduct inspections in accordance with these limitations.
Accreditation is the management arrangement that provides reassurance that someone who has the relevant technical experience is permitted to produce a certificate on an ongoing basis. To be an energy assessor an individual must be a member of an Accreditation scheme. Membership of such a scheme will only last as long as an individual satisfies the accreditation requirements.
Details of available training courses and approved qualifications:
Changes to fees for lodging documents on the on EPC registers
The fee for lodging documents on the Registers is set at £1.50 for a domestic lodgement and £1.70 for non-domestic EPCs, Display Energy Certificates and Air Conditioning Reports.
Approved accreditation schemes
The following accreditation schemes are currently approved by the Department.
Elmhurst
ECMK Ltd
Quidos
Sterling Accreditation
CIBSE
Details of schemes previously approved by the Department can be found on the following table.
| Accreditation Scheme | Transferred To | Date of Transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Northgate | Elmhurst | December 2015 |
| NHER | Elmhurst | September 2015 |
| BRE | Elmhurst | November 2014 |
| BESCA | CIBSE | January 2015 |
| STROMA | Elmhurst | October 2023 |
Certificates and advisory reports produced under schemes whilst previously approved by the Department will remain valid in the usual way.