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Domestic Energy Assessment - As simple as EPC?

2007 promises to be a year in which green issues rise to the top of the agenda both for surveyors and the home buying and selling public.

Recent Government changes requiring that a mandatory Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is to form part of a Home Information Pack (HIP) for every home that comes to the market from June 1st 2007 will undoubtedly bring about significant opportunities for chartered surveyors. What's more, Article 10 of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, which requires that EPCs are provided on all commercial and residential lettings by no later than January 2009, will have an equally powerful impact.

Chief Executive of Property-Careers.com, Stephen Callaghan said: "Although ideally placed to take advantage of this new market, some surveyors are still struggling to come to grips with the realities of mandatory EPCs and what changes this will have on their day-to-day activities. However, a number of very significant developments can be seen in the marketplace. Mortgage lenders, for example, have already entered the fray offering a range of 'green' home loans for restoring derelict homes and improving existing properties to make them more energy efficient. The voluntary AHIPP 'Dry-Run' has also begun and this activity underlines the progress of the countdown to the 1st June mandatory roll-out."

So, why is the 'Dry-Run' so important and what are its objectives? Well, in September 2006, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) pledged £4 million of funding to support six area trials for the Packs in Bath, Newcastle, Southampton, Northampton, Huddersfield and Cambridge, the first of which began on 6 November 2006. The trials are being rolled out by the Department in partnership with industry and aim to help test both the Packs and full Home Condition Reports. The £4 million will be used during the area trials, to encourage sellers to take up voluntary Packs and there will be independent monitoring to ensure lessons are learnt from consumers first hand experiences.

So, with less than 5 months to go before HIPs 'Go-Live', now is the right time to get training underway if you want to get involved in all this activity.

The Government is determined to introduce regulation into this new business sector and requires anyone carrying out EPCs to demonstrate competence though a portfolio of submitted work, and through membership of a competent person accreditation scheme. This means that even Chartered Surveyors (with or without an Elmhurst, NES or similar bolt-on energy accreditation) will have to gain a new qualification to do EPCs. The Diploma in Home Inspection (Dip HI) is currently the only qualification for carrying out Energy Performance Certificates for HIPs. However, because the introduction of HCRs is now being phased-in on a voluntary basis, last summer Asset Skills were urgently tasked to develop a separate, stand-alone Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) qualification which will be available from February 2007.

With the arrival of the separate Diploma in Domestic Energy Assessment (dip DEA) qualification, a large number of people are now beginning to recognise the opportunities for opening-up additional business. To be able to do this work you will need to satisfy the requirements of a 5-unit National Occupational Standard, set at the equivalent of Level 3 NVQ, or 'A'-Level Standard, so be wary of any cheap, quick-fix training courses offering to complete the learning requirements of the EPC in just a few hours! There is much more to the EPC than just knowing how to fill-in the right forms. You will need to demonstrate through evidence that you have in-depth domestic construction knowledge, understand the RdSAP measurement conventions, understand the energy performance of a wide range of homes, have a practical awareness of health and safety issues, possess the necessary soft-skills and know how to carry out a systematic building inspection. Most people will find these requirements reasonably straightforward, but must be able to show these skills and abilities through formal process of submitted evidence. However, for anyone prepared to set aside the necessary time to obtain the dip DEA, the timescale for assessment and training should take no more than a couple of months for experienced residential surveyors and 12 weeks for anyone with no previous background in surveying.

Home Inspector/Domestic Energy Assessor Course Briefing Dates:

Forthcoming dates.

Click here to secure your place on a briefing day

For more information about training and assessment to become a Domestic Energy Assessor or call us on 0800 731 6804

For more details about HIPs or the Voluntary Dry Run contact: http://www.nalhi.org.uk

Stephen Callaghan is Chief Executive of Property-Careers.com, a national training and marketing organisation specializing in the property and financial services sector, with a specific emphasis on the surveying, estate agency and mortgage market.

Home Inspectors.co.uk and Energy-Assessors.com are trading names of Property-Careers.com.

January 2007