News
Shake-up aims to tighten rules on
poor-quality building assessments
n
The government is to clamp to “revise” them in coming weeks.
down on bad practice Proposed changes, according to
among energy assessors amid the correspondence, include an
concerns over the awarding of explicit requirement that the “EA
energy performance certificates to [energy assessor] who lodges the
buildings. EPC must visit the property – this
Energy performance and applies to all EPCs and DECs”.
display energy certificates Accreditation schemes are
(EPCs and DECs) are awarded also required to “ensure” that
to buildings by hundreds of assessors “make declarations”
assessors around the country that they have visited assessed
who are accredited by a range of properties. “Any EAs breaching
organisations. these rules should be suspended”,
A number of assessors have the DCLG states.
complained to their accrediting And it adds that it is
schemes about cases where an “unacceptable” for accreditation
EPC or DEC has been awarded schemes to accept “remote
on the basis of so-called remote lodgements” – the practice of
assessments. awarding a certificate remotely.
These involve an unqualified However, the DCLG stresses
person visiting the site and there is no “ immediate ban on
passing information on to an data collection by those other
assessor who then awards a than qualified assessors” while
certificate remotely. the government considers the
One complaint from an The government is to take action after complaints over energy certificate approvals views of the industry on the
accredited assessor, seen by the proposals.
Journal, states: “You cannot use providing a “lesser” service more awarding of energy certificates. One accreditation body that
someone else’s driving licence to cheaply, using “less competent Letters and emails sent to welcomed the planned tightening
drive a car, therefore you should individuals” – a practice that accreditation schemes from of the rules, and did not wish to be
not be permitted to provide “undermines the entire EPC officials at the Department named, said: “Some accreditation
an EPC for another individual production process”. for Communities and Local schemes are allowing unqualified
or company that has just put Correspondence from the Government (DCLG) state that, people to collect the data and
together the information.” government, seen by the Journal, in response to the concerns do the work, and then look for
Another complainant refers indicates that civil servants are raised, the government has an energy assessor to grant the
to attempts by some accrediting keen to close potential loopholes “urgently reviewed” rules on certificate – there is no process
schemes to “undercut” others by in the rules governing the energy assessments and intends control in this.”
EU pledges action plan
for energy efficiency
A new action plan on energy and see from my collaborators
efficiency is being drafted by the and colleagues is that political
European Commission after declarations and reality are wide
senior officials admitted not apart. There’s a huge gap.”
enough is being done to reduce He was also critical of
carbon emissions. politicians’ use of the term energy
During the Sustainable Energy efficiency, saying that despite
Week conference in Brussels last “energy efficiency being a sum of
month the Commission’s director nitty-gritty things that need to be
general for energy and transport, done”, the nimby (not in my back
Matthias Ruete, told delegates: “In yard])attitude still reigned.
reality we need to do more.” The EU’s last paper, the Energy
The EU is now compiling a new Efficiency Action Plan, launched in
paper on energy efficiency, which is 2006, listed 85 measures that the Carol Atkinson, chief executive of BRE, signs a memorandum of
expected to be published later this commission and governments understanding (MOU) at EcoBuild 2009 in the UK this month, together
year. The new policy is expected to would take to boost energy with Paul King (middle), chief executive of the UK Green Building Council,
focus on cutting emissions from efficiency. Its objective is still to cut and Rick Fedrizzi, president of the US Green Building Council. The
buildings and vehicles. energy use by 20 per cent by 2020, MOU aims to map out “common metrics to measure emissions of CO2
Ruete added: “What I hear but this is not binding in law. equivalents from new homes and buildings”.
6 CIBSE Journal March 2009 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEmar09 pp06-07 news.indd 6 6/3/09 14:18:04
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