The Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) in Northern Ireland

If you are seeking information on the Energy Perfomance of Buildings Regulations in England and Wales please visit Directgov

New requirements effective from 18th February 2013

How to find an accredited assessor for your property

To find an accredited energy assessor to produce an EPC, DEC or Air-conditioning inspection visit www.niepcregister.com or contact the accreditation schemes

Contact the Department with a query or complaint

The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certficates and Inspections) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 made on 21st January 2013 introduce new requirements to implement the recast Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings 2012/31/EU and to clarify some existing provisions.

The key changeswhich came into operation on 18th February 2013 are:-.

• an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must be produced before a building is marketed for sale or rent;
  
  
• the energy performance indicator from an EPC must be included in commercial media used to market a property for sale or rent (see guidance on how the energy performance indicator should be used in advertisements).
  
  
• an EPC may be produced for a dwelling based on the assessment of another representative building of a similar design and size and with a similar energy performance.
  
  
• commercial buildings with a total useful floor area of 500m² or more, that are frequently visited by the public must display an EPC where one has been issued on or after 18th February 2013.
  
  
• the requirement for public buildings frequently visited by the public to display a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) is extended to include buildings with a total useful floor area of 500m² or more. This will be further extended to include buildings with a total useful floor area greater than 250m² with effect from 9th July 2015.
  
  
• landlords of buildings occupied by public bodies where energy is included in the overall service charge will be required to provide an energy statement to the occupier to enable the production of an accurate DEC.
  
  
• a requirement to lodge air-conditioning inspection reports on the Northern Ireland Register is introduced.
  
  
• a facility to extend the search options for documents stored on the Northern Ireland Register to enable the public to search by address and postcode will be made available.
  
  
• new penalties are introduced for breaches of some of the new requirements.

For more information on these changes please view how will the 2013 changes affect me?

For more information on lodgement fees applicable from 6 April 2013 click here

The Department is currently revising this website to reflect these changes. Revised guidance documents will be added to the EPB Publications page in due course.

Measures to improve the energy performance of buildings in Northern Ireland

Buildings are responsible for almost 50% of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Even comparatively minor changes in the energy performance of and the way we use each building would have a significant effect in reducing energy consumption, and hence, carbon emissions.

Given the UK Government's support of the Kyoto Protocol and of its challenging targets for the reduction of carbon emissions, reducing the energy consumption attributable to buildings is a key policy objective.

The Department of Finance and Personnel is responsible for measures in Northern Ireland to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings, including:

• energy performance certificates for properties providing A-G efficiency ratings and recommendations for improvement;
• public buildings to display energy certificates;
• inspections for air conditioning systems; and
• giving advice and guidance for boiler users.

Since 30th December 2008 all properties - homes and commercial - when constructed or being marketed for sale or rent require an energy performance certificate (EPC). Large public buildings must also display a display energy performance certificate (DEC).

This initiative is the result of European legislation - the 2002 Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the 2010 recast - which all member states were required to adopt.