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Energy Assessor Qualification and Accreditation

To protect consumers, energy performance certificates must only be produced by individuals with an approved qualification or competence.

Additional consumer protection measures are being considered for Energy Assessors who visit private dwellings. Accredited assessors must be suitably qualified or competent to produce energy assessments. ‘Suitably qualified’ refers to an individual having either a qualification or approved prior experience and learning equivalent to the National Occupational Standard requirements relevant to the specific occupation for which the individual seeks accreditation.

Energy Assessors will be responsible for carrying out key tasks related to the new energy efficiency measures. This will include producing certificates and inspecting air conditioning systems.

While a number of organisations currently offer energy assessment services, Energy Performance and Display Certificates will only be able to be produced by an accredited Energy Assessor. The Energy Assessor is responsible for using the most currently available and approved version of the National Calculation Methodology.

What qualifications are required?

An energy Assessor will need to have both appropriate qualifications or competence and accreditation:

• Energy Assessor Qualification. Energy Assessors should hold a current qualification in Energy Inspection.This is being developed as part of a National Occupational Standard in Energy Inspection. It will demonstrate that they have the technical competence to produce a certificate. The qualification will be approved by the Qualifications and Curriculum Agency. Qualification bodies will develop assessment procedures that that align with the National Occupational Standard. (See Qualification scope for further details)
  
• Energy Assessor Accreditation. Accreditation is the management arrangement that provides reassurance that someone who has the relevant technical experience is permitted to produce a certificate on an ongoing basis. Different accreditation schemes are likely for each sector requiring certificates. To be an Energy Assessor an individual must be a member of an Accreditation scheme. Membership of such a scheme will only last as long as an individual satisfies the accreditation requirements.

Qualification scope

Qualifications awarded may cover specific areas of energy inspection (for example, the use of some, but not all, of the standard methodologies for assessing energy performance, or the use of a particular methodology in certain types of building but not other types). The Energy Assessor may only conduct inspections in areas covered by their current qualification and accreditation system.

Qualifications awarded may be limited in further ways (for example, the qualification may only remain valid for a certain number of years, or may require the Energy Assessor to be supervised in some way during a probationary period). The Energy Assessor will only be able to conduct inspections in accordance with these limitations.

Go here to to find an Energy Assessor near you.