Apply for this licence
If you operate as a domestic energy assessor (DEA) for existing dwellings in Northern Ireland, you must be suitably qualified and a member of an accreditation scheme which covers the types of work you undertake and is approved by the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP).
A DEA is qualified to assess the energy efficiency and prepare energy performance certificates (EPCs) and reports containing recommendations for the cost-effective improvement of the energy performance of existing dwellings. A recommendation report must be issued with an EPC.
If you’re a DEA you must collect data on the dimensions, construction, heating and hot water provision of the dwelling and enter it into an approved software programme - Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure (RDSAP) and produce EPCs for homes being marketed for sale or rental.
RDSAP is the government approved standardised system for doing an energy survey on an existing dwelling, eg for homes being sold or rented out. A full Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) requires many data items that can’t be seen in a survey or that may take too long to collect. RDSAP is an industry agreed standard set of data items and a standard way of inferring the missing data.
SAP is the procedure for energy assessments of domestic premises.
To join a scheme you must either:
- hold a current qualification in energy inspection - this forms part of a National Occupational Standard (NOS) in Energy Inspection
- have approved prior experience and learning equivalent to the NOS requirements - this is gained via the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) route
As an energy assessor you may only conduct inspections in areas covered by your current qualification and accreditation system.
To become accredited you must complete an application form and provide any supporting documents and application fee that the accreditation scheme requests. Each scheme has its own application form and requirements for membership.
You will usually be issued with an identity card and have to pay an annual membership fee to your scheme.
An assessor from Northern Ireland accredited by an approved scheme also qualifies to work in England and Wales.
If you wish to become a DEA you’ll need to get a basic Access NI certificate before you apply to an accreditation scheme as some schemes require it to be sent with the application form. If you already hold a standard or enhanced Access NI check some schemes may accept this.
To become accredited you must:
- show you can carry out consistent and accurate energy assessments independently
- show that you are fit, proper and qualified to carry out energy assessments
- prepare EPC and recommendation reports using a standardised format
- follow your scheme’s Code of Conduct
- enter any EPC or recommendation report that you produce and the data which was used to produce them or any asset rating onto the relevant register held Landmark on behalf of the DFP
Conditions
When producing EPCs or inspection reports you must include a declaration detailing if you have a business or personal relationship with the person who commissioned the certificate or on whose behalf it was commissioned, anyone with an interest with either of these people or the building.