BER Assessor Training

BER Assessors, having successfully completed a training programme and registered with SEI, can be engaged by property developers, designers and home owners to perform BER based on the plans and specifications for the new building.

About EPBD and BER

The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) contains a range of provisions aimed at improving energy performance of residential and non-residential buildings, both new-build and existing. This Directive was adopted into Irish law in 2006.

As part of the Directive, a Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate, which is effectively an energy label, will be required at the point of sale or rental of a building, or on completion of a new building.

BER Courses

NICER Training offers a flexible path to the BER Assessor Qualification, which is dependent on each student's educational background, work experience, and self assessed interest and aptitude. The Modules are described below:

Module 1: BER Foundations Course (2 days)

Topics include building physics, U-value calculations, and heating systems. Additional sessions include DEAP familiarity and the SEI National Administration System.

Students completing Module 1, and wanting to continue on to Module 2, can enrol in the compressed path of Module 2 (described below).

Module 1 is designed for trade-qualified students, those for whom it has been a long time since last completing assignments/sitting an exam, those who would like an introduction into the concepts behind the BER before training to become an assessor, and anyone who would like more time working with the material.

Module 2: BER Assessor Qualification Training Course (5 days, plus ½ day for exam)

Day One: Introduction to DEAP
Unit 1 Building Energy Rating in Ireland

Day Two: Unit 2 Building Construction and Lighting Assessment
Unit 3 Building Energy Performance - Fabric and Ventilation Systems
Workshop Session

Day Three: Unit 4 Space and Domestic Hot Water Heating Systems and Their Controls
Unit 5 Overall Energy Performance, CO2 Emissions and BER Labels
Two Workshop Session

Day Four: Unit 6 BER Advisory Report for Dwellings
Site Visit for Existing Dwellings Survey Practical Workshop

Day Five: Two Workshop Sessions
Revision and Review

Additional ½ day Exam

Module 2 is designed for working professionals in the design and construction industry who would like a warm-up day to review the concepts behind the BER in addition to training to become an assessor.

Working engineers and those who are fully up to speed in all the concepts of the BER can apply for the Compressed Path of the BER Assessor Qualification Course, which would exempt them from attendance on Day One (and include a reduction in course fee of €150).Students on this path would be given the materials for Unit One, from which they would need to self-study.