Scotland: Number of Domestic Energy Assessors Over 400

Plus 200 'in the pipeline'

Submitted by: MikeC (Admin) on 15-Nov-08 03:29:37 PM

According to Stewart Maxwell of the Scottish National Party, there are currently "more than 400 people" qualified to undertake Energy Performance Certificates on Scottish dwellings, with a "further 200" in the pipeline.

The figures were revealed during a Scottish Parliament debate on Energy Efficiency this week (13th Nov 2008).

Mr Maxwell sought to assure MPs that Scotland would meet the EU deadline for the introduction of energy performance certificates (4 January 2009), saying:

We expect that there will be sufficient capacity to carry out that work.

The Scottish Parliament - Official Report

Not full-time 

It's not clear how many Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) are estimated to be needed for Scotland, although at least one approved scheme suspects that many DEAs will not be expecting to operate full-time because of the nature and size of the market.

Last year the volume of house sales hit just over 155,000, according to the Registers of Scotland. Although figures released earlier this week reveal that transactions in the last quarter, ending September (25,042), plunged 44.1% compared to the same period in 2007 (42,503).

Instead of Home Information Packs, home-sellers in Scotland will require a Home Report which contains a:

• Single Survey (condition of home; valuation; and accessibility audit for people with special needs),
• Energy Report, and
• Property Questionnaire

Currently, only RICS members can perform the Single Survey and Energy Report.

No accreditation schemes

Approval to operate as an Energy Assessor in Scotland operates under a system of protocol agreements made between the Scottish Buildings Standards Agency (SBSA) and individual professional member body's such as the RICS, Elmhurst, Northgate (as of writing, the only protocol signatory with approved RdSAP software and able to lodge with the central register), and others. 

If you're a member of an approved body you may choose to conduct EPCs in Scotland providing you meet the terms of the protocol agreed between your member-body and the SBSA (which may be slightly different between organisations).

No formal qualification route

Unlike England and Wales, there is no formal qualification route to become an Energy Assessor in Scotland, relying instead on the competence and experience of members belonging to an approved body.

In practice this may involve some additional training to become acquainted with 'the Scottish way of doing things' (in the case of existing DEAs operating South of the border), or simply to plug knowledge-gaps if approaching the market from a related field of experience (usually via an Approved Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) assessment route).

Posts: 2

Re: RICS Members
Reply #1 on : Sun November 16, 2008, 22:22:39

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"Currently, only RICS members can perform the Single Survey"

Not actually true, others can carry out this work, they just have to jump through various hoops to get the nod before doing so.

admin
Posts: 2

Re: Plus 200 'in the pipeline'
Reply #2 on : Sun November 16, 2008, 22:45:02

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Ah, but that's why I used the word 'currently' my friend; the document I read over at the Scottish Parliament's website says the legislation can be amended, but it's clear that whomever should be worthy enough, would virtually match, or exceed, the RICS way of doing things.

IMO ;)

sharky
Posts: 1

Energy Reports in Scotland by non-RICS members
Reply #3 on : Sat November 22, 2008, 12:30:30

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The following text re Energy Reports in Scotland by non-RICS members appears on a blog on the RICS website:-
"The question has been asked whether or not someone who can provide domestic EPCs in Scotland through a non-RICS protocol (such as Elmhurst or BRE) can also provide the energy report section of the Home Report. A situation where this might be desirable is if a chartered surveyor was doing a Home Report for a large house, but wished to outsource the energy report section.

RICS Scotland, whilst not opposed in principle would not recommend that this be done for the following reasions:

The Regulation states:

5.— (1) The persons who may prepare the prescribed document set out in Schedule 1 are surveyors registered with or authorised to practise by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The prescribed document as outlined in Schedule 1 is a single document containing both the single survey and energy report. Therefore, an RICS member's name must be on the energy report/EPC as well as the single survey. This means that the RICS members should not instruct non-RICS members to provide the energy report. Similarly, any Home Report which has an energy report compiled by a non-RICS member will not be compliant with the legislation.

Whilst we acknowledge that there are people who are adequately trained by non-RICS EPC protocol organisations and are not opposed to it in principle, RICS members should only provide the energy report themselves or instruct a fellow RICS member to do so, so that they are providing a valid document.

The legislation reflects Scottish Government's one-stop shop policy that the energy report and single survey be done at the same time, by the same person. "

admin
Posts: 2

Re: Plus 200 'in the pipeline'
Reply #4 on : Sat November 22, 2008, 16:07:42

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We're 'not opposed in principle', but the regulations state only RICs members can?!

Interesting Sharky.

Posts: 2

Energy Reports in Scotland by non-RICS members
Reply #5 on : Wed August 26, 2009, 12:37:45

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Since EPC's are valid for 10 years, and the
average home owner stays in one place for only 5 years, it seems likely that Surveyors would be compelled to recognise an existing EPC and not charge for an additional one (if within the validity period of an existing EPC).