FAQs

What is an 'Energy Label?

An energy label is an agreed standardized way of comparing the energy needs and efficiency of properties.

What use is it, - why should I want to get an Energy Label?

The First Reason is that it will tell you how a property will perform in terms of heating comfort and cost: as people get more used to these labels, they will get a better 'feel' for the information they give. It tells you how you can improve the property, with an estimate of the cost. Ideally, it will motivate people to seek properties with a better label so that there will be a movement towards more energy-efficient properties.
However, the experience across Europe has been that, while people are generally positive about energy labelling, they don't want to buy such a service, although if fuel costs rocket, that may change. The EU has therefore, and reluctantly, decided that it is an important enough issue, and this is
The Second Reason, to make it compulsory in all member-states from January 2006. All national governments have agreed to take steps to bring the relevant EU Directive into force.

In Ireland it is compulsory for new houses from January 2007 and will be compulsory for existing houses, when sold or rented, from January 2009.

Compulsory? - For whom, and when?

Simple - compulsory for everyone who sells, or lets, a property after that date The label will be valid for a maximum of 10 years from issue, although that period may be shortened later. This means, to spell it out, all new houses sold, all second-hand houses sold, and all houses let, from that date will require a label.

Wow, that's serious - why is it so important for the EU?

The EU considers it important for its citizens - and remember, all governments, including ours, have agreed to this, it is not an imposed measure - because the use of energy causes a lot of the air pollution and CO2 (the buildings sector accounts for around 40% of that pollution in Ireland) that has the knock-on effects of being bad for health, threatening more global warming with all its risks, and a host of other reasons including that we, Europe, and particularly Ireland, import a lot of our fuel, making us dependent on other areas etc. There is a consensus that major reductions can be made, without loss of comfort, in the buildings sector, by using insulation, more efficient appliances etc., and that is what Europe is targeting.

Who will pay, and how much will it cost?

The seller or letter of the property will pay.
Costs are not really yet decided - there is a lot of technical preparation under way here and across Europe, and some differing views on how detailed, and this affects the cost, the labelling process should be. In Denmark, where it is already in operation, it costs € 300 or more, depending on the type of property and its location. When the Directive is applied the numbers done will increase dramatically, and there is no doubt energy labels will be available nationally and more competitively.

Tell me more about this energy label

A trained and independent auditor, who should have an acceptable background such as engineer, architect, surveyor etc., does the audit. The auditor or assessor must qualify through a BER assessor course that is accredited by quality systems such as FETAC or HETAC, and must be registered with SEI.The auditor visits the premises, examines the structural and heating system details, and takes measurements. This data, with Irish climate data, is used in a software programme to produce the label. The form the label takes is modelled on the very successful A, B etc. labelling of fridges and washing machines in recent years. For the detail of a typical label click here.

Is energy labelling a bit like the fuel consumption of a car?

In some ways, very much so - the car mpg information tells you the consumption for 'urban', 'extra urban' and 'combined' cycles - and everybody knows these are comparative only, that gentle drivers will achieve better and aggressive ones far less. The energy label is also comparative: like cars, some folk will 'drive' their house harder, some will hardly heat it at all.
The energy label, however, has pollution in mind, so the scale starts at zero as the best - no energy needed, so no pollution. Also, we rate the house fabric (the body and chassis of the car) and the heating system (the engine and gearbox) separately, and then we combine those ratings to give the actual energy label. The figures given are not for the whole house, but per square metre of house. So, in these ways it is quite different - partly because you can't just fit a metre to a house and run it in defined way, also the square area of houses varies dramatically whereas all cars have very similar square areas, and that there are so many construction materials and different types of house, compared to cars.
The car is a useful comparison, provided you don't compare too deeply!

Can you explain the A-G bands?

The use of A to G coloured bands to indicate energy efficiency, with A being the best (i.e. the lowest use of energy) has been popularised by European manufacturers of ‘white goods’ such as fridges and washing machines. Because so many are familiar with this system, NICER and many other organisations across Europe continue its use to present energy labels for properties.

Can energy labelling achieve anything?

It can achieve a lot, if either
- people take it seriously enough to act, to carry out suggested improvements: major increases in energy market prices could make that happen, or
- governments force the issue, by carbon taxes or other pressures.
Voluntary action will be preferred provided it shows some results.

Will labelling start a new industry?

We certainly hope so - quite apart from the numbers of auditors etc., the labelling is only valuable at all if people improve their properties. This would give rise to a host of new jobs in manufacture, construction and installation. It is reckoned that up to 160,000 houses per year will need labelling in Ireland. If we exclude the ca. 70,000 of them that are new (although they should represent a market for condensing boilers and better controls), and guess that say 25% of the balance spend as little as € 4000 each on improvements, that would be a € 90 million per year new market. NICER certainly hopes this opportunity will unlock new talents and solutions!

How about new technologies, renewable energy?

A large new market will provide a great incentive to develop and introduce new technologies. Existing 'new' technologies, such as condensing oil and gas boilers, should get a major boost. It will be particularly positive for renewable energies, because, for period-type houses that can't be much altered due to their heritage and architectural importance, as well as where owners want to achieve a really low rating, renewable energy will deliver excellent label results. However, remember that, for such period houses, the expenditure on energy may remain high - the house still needs pretty much the same energy total as before as the fabric is not much improved - albeit that the label will be greatly improved. Wood-pellet fuelled boilers, for instance, can ensure an excellent label for such a house, although the fuel spend may not fall much. Also, the continually improving modern controls can probably introduce possibilities beyond those we can envisage now.

Will energy labels raise new issues?

Undoubtedly - training will be a major one. Heating installers will have to be trained to install condensing boilers and to pay more attention to controls. Insulation systems will require more attention, particularly to their installation.

Who is calling the shots on all this?

There is a European Directive that lays out the general principles. The government calls the detailed shots for the implementation in Ireland - they will have to decide how to implement it, e.g. by requiring the presentation of a valid energy label as part of the conveyancing of a property or howsoever they decide to do it. Within government, it is the responsibility of the Department of Environment and Local Government, together with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources (because this includes the energy portfolio): in turn, SEI, Sustainable Energy Ireland is the coordinator and technical resource for development of the approach. NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) is irresponsible for Ireland's inputs to the approx. 31 standards being prepared by the main European standards body CEN, for implementation of labelling.
This government sector is currently carrying out a study and consultation process to decide on its course of action.

What about quality assurance of the labelling, fake labels?

The Departments and SEI will undoubtedly incorporate steps to cover these aspects in their arrangements: what they may be we can only guess

How about derogation? - Doesn't Ireland often ask for more time?

The Directive does permit a 3-year derogation or postponement, only allowed on the grounds that there aren't enough trained auditors.
A derogation cannot be ruled out, although there are no indications that is the Irish intention. NICER thinks that, even if there was some sort of derogation, the amount of work to be done is such that a start at the very least will be made on or around the due time: this is not an activity you can just switch on as you wish. Ireland is so far behind its Kyoto (CO₂ reduction) commitments at any rate that the feeling is that a derogation would be a relative last resort.