New Boost For Energy Assessment

Two leading firms from the energy assessment market have joined forces to create an all in one service for lodging Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).

Property and construction consultants Property Tectonics (pt) and accreditation and training provider Elmhurst Energy, announced the deal ahead of new legislation this October which makes EPCs a legal requirement for all buildings.

Under the agreement, pt’s Lifespan-SBEM web-based software will be available for energy assessors operating under the Elmhurst Accreditation Scheme, making the whole process of energy assessor training, assessment and practice, efficient, seamless and economic.

pt’s Lifespan-SBEM provides a Government-approved interface to the simplified building energy model (SBEM) needed to deliver energy performance certificates (EPCs) for commercial buildings as required by the new legislation. The web-based programme, based on pt’s proprietary Lifespan product, is designed to help energy assessors generate and submit EPCs quickly and efficiently.

The role of the Accreditation Scheme is to ensure that all certificates are produced by persons who are appropriately qualified, insured and subject to strict independent quality standards. Elmhurst Energy operates a quality auditing procedure that makes it one of the most reliable and respected organisations in this field.

Trevor Mole, managing director at Property Tectonics, said "it is sensible for organisations to cooperate wherever possible and share expertise, especially given the current pace of change; this provides an opportunity to reduce costs, improve service and deliver better value to our customers."

Stephen O’Hara, managing director of Elmhurst Energy, commented "in the face of what has up to now been a confusing offering of software in the commercial EPC marketplace this move to provide a seamless integration of proven software with proven procedures should be a welcomed as a valuable service to the emerging but vitally important energy rating industry."

August 2008