BER stands for Building Energy Rating. Efficiency is the key word today in all aspects of work and personal life. With global warming and energy deficits constantly grabbing the headlines, energy efficiency is very close to the heart of many a nation.
A BER rating certificate is an Irish initiative that will signify just how energy-efficient your building is. Although a statutory requirement, you are also doing yourself a big favor in protecting your environment and saving on non-renewable sources of energy.
What It Involves:
Companies conduct surveys to determine the home energy requirements and usage patterns. They will advise you on costs of upgrading your existing devices, period of payback and the extent of savings you are likely to make.
Uses Of BER Rating:
Be it summer or winter, we all tend to over-use fuel and electricity. This is why social responsibility towards the surroundings is rising in prominence.
* Companies that are involved in BER rating will help you understand where you can cut on wasteful expenditures of electricity and how to increase your home energy saving.
* It can point out which devices in your building can be upgraded to consume fewer electrical units. The markets are filled with innovating gadgets that are eco-friendly.
* These companies also perform energy audit.
* All new buildings must conform to BER rating certifications by the time they are complete.
* This is an effective and novel technique to encourage those companies involved in the manufacture of green products.
* It will help you realize and rectify the huge expenses involved in running your household appliances.
Key Points Regarding BER:
* Certificates are available for residential and non-residential buildings. The criteria and stringency norms will of course vary. Retail outlets will be required to fulfill tougher conditions as they house a great many people on various occasions.
* The certificate is valid for ten years. So remember to get a good rating specialist to certify the energy efficiency of your house. The quality of the rating is just as important.
* It is easier to sell a house or shop which is BER-certified. The better the rating, the better will be the rate on your property. It is a smart mechanism that entitles you to pay a lower price for a house with a low BER rating as you have to spend money on making that house more energy-efficient. It is practically a protection offered by the Government against being cheated by house owners.
* It is absolutely essential that you get this certificate otherwise you are likely to be hauled up or fined. Plus it will prove a hindrance when you wish to sell your house.
* It is a useful technique as in these times of economic recession and slow recovery it is more for economic purposes rather than fashionable ones to use natural sources abundantly instead of exploiting the scarce, traditional ones.
