A candid blog on the world of Energy Performance Certificates and HIPs
Non Domestic Energy Assessor Numbers - Official Figures
Guest blog-post from John Morren who, following a successful appeal to have his Freedom of Information request to the CLG overturned, reveals the latest official numbers of accredited non-domestic energy assessors. Seems there is an imminent oversupply in the pipeline, again!
ePerformance News Launched - At Last!
Come and get it! ePerformance News - a quality Home Inspector Forum publication - is launched today after many months of it not... launching. Hopefully, normal service will again resume here! Home Information Pack
Tories May Leave Home Information Packs Alone
An adviser to Grant Shapps - Tory shadow housing minister - says the party may change its plans to abolish HIPs by 2010
Another New Housing Minister: Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett replaced Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, in Gordon Brown's latest reshuffle - the fourth minister in around 18 months! But we also have a new department of energy and climate change too, so where is this going? Who is running the gaff now?
CLG Guide: Oct 1st EPC & HIP Regulation Changes
The CLG has published its guide to the October 1st 2008 changes to the Energy Performance Certificate and Home Information Pack regulations - at last! Also, approved methodologies for EPC and DEC production were published this week, including approved software applications for SAP 2005, SBEM, DSM and ORCalc.
EPCs: Social Housing Pilot Summary
The CLG today published a final evaluation report into the pilot roll-out of Energy Performance Certificates to social housing and rental properties last year. Also, I'm not going to mention rental properties requiring EPCs from today... but work instructions are definitely up!
DEA Workshop: Accreditation Schemes Get 12 Months to Improve
The poorest performing accreditation schemes have been warned they have 12 months to improve or risk losing their licence. That was one of the messages presented to representatives of Domestic ENergy Assessors at the latest CLG-hosted DEA Workshop held on Tuesday (23rd Sept 08). Also, lack of interest from Trading Standards and the Advertising Standards Authority on both estate agent compliance and training providers respectively.
Payable on Demand - A Lesson From The Past
Companies and indie energy assessors with payable on demand loans and overdrafts should protect themselves if past experiences are anything to go by.
Ireland Officially in Recession
Domestic Energy Assessors will officially discover today, what they probably already know: Ireland is in recession.
ProDEA is Launched
ProDEA, a new national organisation for energy assessors, has today announced its official launch. But is it ready? And what is it?
The DEA Training Company Sell-off
It seems DEA and HI training companies are sensing they have finally pipped this cherry - One company training Domestic Energy Assessors in Surrey is up for sale at £115k and another is rumoured to be up for £8 million!
£2500 Cash For Grabs from National Energy Services
National Energy Services are throwing a £2500 cash grant to the most worthy support group for energy assessors or Home Inspectors. Only a few weeks to apply so get cracking now.
EPC Data Gatherers in Parliament
Tory shadow minister Grant Shapps receives clarification on the use of EPC data gatherers plus answers on property information questionnaires and the shelf life of Home Information Packs
How To Cut 8 Million Tonnes of Carbon Emissions - Guaranteed
Terry Wyatt of Hoare Lea and past CIBSE president reveals an interesting proposal which is both cheap, easy to do, and, he claims, obviates the need for further power stations! See how our electric grid performed today at 3:45 and 5:45 - Terry says this can be avoided through Dynamic Demand Management
CLG: No HIPs Review During Market Slump
Housing Minister Caroline Flint on Wednesday ruled out any Home Information Pack review until after the housing market returns to normal conditions, she told Lib Dem Mark Oaten in a written parliamentary answer
£910m Energy Package but Nowt for Energy Assessors
Domestic Energy Assessors might as well become loft insulators following today's Govt announcement of £910m funding towards energy efficiency measures. Are Energy Performance Certificates are in danger of becoming financially punitive to homeowners and landlords?
Suspend Home Information Packs Demand Tories
Grant Shapps, Tory Shadow Housing Minister, wants Gordon Brown to suspend Home Information Packs. He lists five reasons, but two of them appear to be the same ones repeated!
HIPs: First Day Marketing Set for 1st Jan 2009
The DCLG has confirmed that First Day Marketing will begin 1st January 2009, ending the current temporary provisions allowing homes to be marketed without an Home Information Pack, providing one has been commissioned.
CLG Extend Energy Performance Certificate Validity to Three Years
The CLG has today announced that Energy Performance Certificates within a Home Information Pack will, from October 1st 2008, be valid for three years. Non-domestic EPC requirements set back until 4th January 2009 - bang up to the EU limit - and... no clarification of the mass confusion surrounding the domestic and rental transitional EPC arrangements!
RdSAP Update Delayed
Guess what, the upcoming update to RdSAP, due this weekend, has apparently been delayed
EPCs: Google Sketch it up with IES
Integrated Environmental Solutions last week unveiled a new plug-in for Google's free software called, SketchUp, to help in the creation of non-domestic Energy Performance Certificates. It plans to expand the technology into he domestic sector soon. Is this the future of EPC technology?
Update: EPC Transition Arrangements Enacted April 2008
New transitionary arrangements quietly came into force back in April 2008 which trigger a duty to commission an Energy Performance Certificate when contracts are entered into on properties marketed before the HIP commencement dates began last year. Could it mean some homesellers have sold illegally?
EPC and HIPs Newsround
Loads of news to catch up on: Eland House scores a F DEC; CLG publish tenant's guide; HIPs expedite homebuying but the jury is out on how long; looming threats to oil supplies and prices, plus the DEA Podcast goes international!
Home Information Pack Exemptions to End October 1st 2008
Unsold homes that have been on the market since before the Home Information Pack (HIP) commencement dates of last year are set to lose their HIP exemption from October 1st 2008 if they remain on the market, according to a response from EPBD helpline. Also, private sales are expected to lose the HIP exemption too!
DEA and HIP Directory Websites - Beware
An example of why you should be careful of which DEA and HIP directories you submit your websites to. Also, tips on what to look for
Home Inspection Forum has Closed
The Home Inspector Forum officially closed its doors in the early hours today without warning, this site can reveal.
DEA Numbers: 7,930 Accredited
Another sneakily slipped-out update from the CLG: The number of accredited Domestic Energy Assessors as of 23 May 2008 stood at 7930. Total in the system was 14,210. Hey-ho
DEA Workshop with CLG: Energy Saving Trust Alliance
Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) convened on Communities and Local Government (CLG) HQ for a DEA Workshop early August. Here we look at plans to recruit and train DEAs to supply an extended Energy Performance Certificate to homeowners as part of a new paid for service from the Energy Saving Trust to supply Home Action Plans.
Will this create an elite minority of DEAs earning higher fees? This is the second concluding part looking at the proposals and decisions made at the meeting
Rental Property EPCs Discussed on Radio 4
Domestic Energy Assessor Frank Mills performed a fine job representing the industry yesterday on Radio 4's You and Yours programme which discussed the impact of Energy Performance Certificates on landlords and tenants
National Energy Services Conference 2008
The leading industry conference has been announced for Domestic Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors. NHER/SAVA will be hosting this year's two-day get-together October 22nd and 23rd and features a host of speakers including fellow-blogger Neil Kurz and Robert Kyriakides - I may even pop down with my outside broadcasting unit, so watch out!
Brick-maker Closes UK Factories
More bad data dumped on the shoulders of property professionals this week - when brick-makers close, you know that is not a good omen for on-construction domestic energy assessors. Also fewer new domestic homesellers... we know the rest
AHIPP: More Top-Level Changes
Yet more changes at AHIPP. Today they welcome two new directors: Rob Hailstone from HIPAG; and Lesley Sorridimi from HIPHIPhooray.com. Also, plans to require dual membership of AHIPP and The HIPCode are dropped
DEA Workshop with the CLG - CPD Changes
Domestic Energy Assessors and industry representatives met with the CLG last week to plot a path for the future of Energy Performance Certificates, and those serving them. Here we gather views and gauge consquences. Part 1 of 2 looks at a proposed CPD shake-up
AHIPP to Lose Deputy Director General
Paul Broadhead will leave AHIPP in October to single-handedly halt the credit crunch in his new role as Head of Mortgage Policy at the Building Societies Association (BSA)
Bravo China!
Unbelievable mesmerising display of human and technological ingenuity at the Chinese Olympic opening ceremony
Display Energy Certificate: Transitional Arrangements Published
The CLG has today published its transitional guidelines for those involved with conducting assessments on public buildings for the Display Energy Certificate
Energy Performance Certificates With Decorum
With a simple click on a map, DECoRuM quickly displays the SAP rating of a home together with other energy and CO2 emission data. Zoom out and quickly identify low-performing areas. Will Energy Performance Certificates soon be available to view on Google Maps? DECoRuM is in use today and was once targetted at Home Inspectors
Leave Caroline Alone Gordon (or David)!
Why Caroline Flint should remain Housing Minister
CLG Consultations: Searches and Consumer HIP Information
The CLG released two more consultation documents to stuff-up your holidays this week: Charges for Property Searches and Improved Consumer Information in the Home Information Pack (HIP). Enjoy!
AHIPP: Quest to Find New Chairman Succeeds
Tom Parker, managing director of Quest, becomes chairman of Association of Home Information Pack Providers
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