ber in ireland: challenges and achievements
TRANSCRIPT
BER in Ireland:Challenges and Achievements
Tom HalpinSustainable Energy Authority of Ireland13th April, 2011
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
• Statutory authority under Department of
Communications, Energy & Natural Resources
• Mission of transforming Ireland into a society based on
sustainable energy structures, technologies and
practices, and a vision of making Ireland a recognised
global leader in sustainable energy
• c. 66 staff in four locations: Dublin, Dundalk, Sligo, Cork
• Five year strategy published March 2010
BER in Ireland: Underlying Principles
SEAI Role
• SEAI is the designated Issuing Authority
• Provision of methodologies and calculation software
• Defining rules for competence and conduct
• Administering National BER Scheme:
• Registering Assessors
• National Assessor Exam
• Processing Assessments, Hosting Registers
• Quality Assurance
• BER Helpline
• Promoting awareness
• Advice and support to Government Departments
Sequence of Main Tasks
• Research and Consultation
– commissioned studies, EU Concerted Action, EIE
projects, Danish and Dutch systems, UK Ministries,
training certification bodies, professional bodies
• Legislation, functions, powers
• EN standards
• Methodologies and software
• Minimum performance standards TGD L
• BER certificate content and design
• Advisory report content and process
• Assessor Training and examination system
• Assessor registration rules, process and systems
• BER publication system
• Administrative process, system and resources
Revenue Neutral Model
• Revenues received from:
– Assessor registration and renewal fees
– BER Publication levy
• Revenues ring-fenced in legislation for use in scheme
– Systems design and development – methodologies,
tools, codes, procedures, business process systems,
website
– Ongoing support and maintenance - staffing, licenses,
helpdesk, legal advice, etc.
– QA - auditing systems and personnel, examinations
– Marketing and communications
Key Scheme Components
Tools
• Sufficient, accurate, repeatable
Outputs
• Clear and actionable
People
• Eligible, competent, adequate number
Systems
• Integration of operation, administration and QA
Tools
Calculation Methodology
Calculation Software
Standardised National Data
• Reference Bldg
• Usage Data
• Default Data Sets
Outputs
BER Cert
Advisory report
Building Regs
Registered BER
Assessors
Qualifications
APEL
Training
National Exam
CPD Exam
Registration T&C
National Administration System (NAS)
Assessor Register
BER Data Register
Data Checks
Rules
QA System
Finance System
Helpdesk
Website
IT Tools and Systems Infrastructure
Key to Success: Central NAS Register
• NAS = National Administration System
– Self service for publication of BERs by Assessors
– Assessing Building Regulations Compliance
– Online BER search for buyers / tenants
– Quality assurance
– National reporting
– Automated accounts functionality
– BER Helpdesk call centre
• Business processes must be well defined first
• Delivered by small core team with range of outsourced
partners
Communications
• Objectives
– Awareness, comprehension, signposting market,
entitlements and obligations
• Website: 16,000 visitors for the month of March 2011
• Help Line: 1,400 enquiries per month
• TV, Press, radio, web advertising
• Queries and representations:
– BER Assessors – technical bulletins, practice notes
– Media enquiries
– Parliamentary Questions
– Industry representative groups
Scheme Throughput / Progress
Domestic Apr ‘08 Apr ‘09 Apr ‘10 Apr ‘11
Registered Assessors 532 2,663 2,162 2,222
Active Assessors 133 1,931 2,029 2,138
BERs Published 444 31,600 113,378 196,437
Daily Publication Rate 12 264 181 174
Non Domestic
Registered Assessors -- 143 438 445
Active Assessors -- ~90 325 401
BERs Published -- 544 3,911 6,253
Daily Publication Rate -- 9 10 4
BER: New Homes Profile
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 E1 E2 F G
BER: Existing Homes Profile
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
A1 A2 A3 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 C3 D1 D2 E1 E2 F G
Non Domestic Building Profile
Creating a Compliance Culture
• Major industry awareness campaign over four years:
– C.200 events, 22,000 attendees
– Meeting key industry players, professional bodies
• Public awareness campaigns in 2008, 2009 and 2010
• Law Society Conveyancing Committee Direction to
members – acting for owner or prospective buyer/ tenant
• DEHLG direction to Building Control Authorities
• Rights based approach – SEAI advocacy role
– Setting out entitlements and obligations
– Create push and pull within market
EPBD Compliance Infrastructure
Market
requirement
Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance: Activity Summary
Audit Type Audits Completed
Data Reviews audits 7,588
Desk review audits 1,068
Documentation & Practice audits 364
% PublishedRatings Audited
% Active Assessors
Audited
Domestic 4.0% 83%
Non-Domestic 4.5% 52%
BER: A Positive Policy Instrument
• Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme
– Grants for EE upgrades
– Initially discretionary BER – before and after
– Currently mandatory – After with pre grant estimate
– Provides modelled data of scheme achievements
• Likely to feature in wider Retrofit programme
• Data utilised in academic, policy and NGO research
EPBD in Ireland: Key Learnings
• Establish strong co-ordination and buy-in across policy system
• Publish an action plan - be realistic and resource appropriately
• Establish a strong legislative, technical, administrative and promotional systems
• Mobilise building sector stakeholders - consultation
• Certification viewed as a positive policy instrument
• Certification on its own could be useless
• Careful definition of the scale – representative with headroom
• Leverage IT systems for high volume process automation
• Build strong awareness among market actors
What Would We Do Differently?
• Start earlier, particularly on the assessment
methodology and tool
• Tighter oversight of training providers (quality not
volume)
– Define requirements before the horse bolts
• Consider of the compliance mechanism for Assessors
(SEAI) and building owners (local authorities)
• More intelligent functionality on advisory report
generation
• Be prepared for the functionality changes and
upgrades necessary – this is a dynamic scheme
• Anticipate legal challenges to the aspects of the
scheme – define well and clear rationale
Challenges for Future
• Preparing for Recast EPBD
• Achieving robust compliance, particularly rental market
• Maintaining public awareness
• Monitoring Assessor number, prices and training
• Expansion of QA activity
• Irish localisation of DSMs
• Co-ordination with UK on methodologies
• Functionality and guidance of advisory reports
– And getting homeowners to act on advice
• ICT issues - continuous service functionalities
• Continued consultation with stakeholders e.g. Product
suppliers
