Improved Energy Performance Certificates – RDSAP v9.82
Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are due to evolve with improvements being made to the methodology and assessment procedure shortly, RDSAP v9.82. The RDSAP (Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure – the government approved standardised system for undertaking an energy survey on an existing dwelling), has always had its limitations as it is a simplified version of the full SAP methodology.
Energy Performance Certificates were implemented as part of the Home Information Pack legislation on 1st August 2007 and will also be required as of the 1st October 2008 in the rental market. EPC are now becoming more widely understood and the benefits they bring recognised. However, there has been criticism made about the accuracy of some assessments in certain scenarios due to the inherent limitations of RDSAP to include some less frequently found aspects.
So it is with feedback ammendments are being made and implemented. These improvements will make the updated RDSAP closer to the full SAP methodology. The main areas of improvements are as follows:
- Being able to record multiple roof room ages for a property.
- Additional insulation to flat roofs and floors can be considered
- The ability to over ride the default floor type and have this displayed on the EPC
- Addition of Cob walls as a wall type
- Changes to the method to record the presence of a thatch, as a roof type.
- Rafter insulation, defaulting to an age specific value
- Changes to the type of glazing that the DEA is able to record
- Ammendments to how the presence of conservatories is recoreded
- The introduction of wind turbines as alternative energy source
- Improvements to the way some elements are displayed on the final EPC
In addition to the above, the current areas a domestic energy assessor evaluates will encompass wider options for increased detail to be taken in to account. At present the accreditation schemes are providing the new software to DEAs and is due to be fully in place by the 22nd September 2008.
There have undoubtedly been instances where RDSAP v9.81 has not being able to represent the ‘true’ energy efficiency of certain properties, though it must be stated only in a very small perecentage of cases. With the ammendments detailed above it is imagined that these cases would of been accurately assessed by the new RDSAP v9.82.
Due to these improvements it is envisaged that the domestic energy assessments will take longer to complete; it is yet to be seen if EPC providers will raise costs due to this or will try to absorb them within their current pricing structure.
HIP-Consultant.co.uk welcomes the changes and we look forward to providing further Energy Performance Certificates in the updated format to both the ‘general public’ and industry professionals.
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