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Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
Version: 6.0
Date: 31/07/17
SAP –v- RdSAP
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
SAP –v- RdSAP
Applicable to England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland,
This Technical Bulletin awards 15 Minutes CPD for Elmhurst members
and covers/provides guidance for the following areas.
Which dwellings should be assessed using RdSAP?
How to Search the Landmark website
What to do if you cannot locate a full SAP EPC on Landmark
Includes a flow-chart for easy reference
There has been a large amount of confusion regarding whether Domestic Energy
Assessors can undertake Energy Performance Certificates on new build properties.
The following guidance is therefore given: Since 6th April 2008 for England and
Wales and 30th September 2008 for Northern Ireland, when a new dwelling is
completed and is due to be signed off by Building Control (either as a newly
constructed dwelling or as a conversion from a non-dwelling to a dwelling e.g. barn,
chapel, mill, pub etc), it must have an On Construction SAP Calculation and an On
Construction EPC. Both of these documents must be derived from the Full SAP2012
Design software, not RdSAP.
It is essential assessors are aware that RdSAP methodology should not be used to
create the first EPC to be lodged for domestic dwellings. Only appropriately
accredited individuals will be able to generated new build EPCs. These individuals
will be those who are qualified to produce building regulation submission at the
design stage – not DEAs.
Note 2: Whether or not the dwelling has been lived in is not
relevant to assessing if SAP or RdSAP is appropriate.
Note 1: A house which is ‘split’ from one dwelling into flats or
has previously been flats and is made into one domestic
property also requires full SAP if the work was completed on or
after 6th April 2008
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
If assessors attend a property which appears to be newly constructed, a search for a
full SAP EPC should be carried out on Landmark via:
https://www.epcregister.com/home.html
This should be undertaken prior to lodging another EPC.
Searching via the Landmark Website:
The type of EPC lodged shows at the top right of the first page under the RRN, as
shown:
To carry out a search follow these steps:
Step 1. Using
www.epcregister.com, log
on to Landmark. You will
be presented with the
home screen, which offers
the facility to search by
property address. Click in
the highlighted field and
enter a postcode. A list of
all properties with valid
EPCs then appears..... (as illustrated - see above)
Simply selecting the relevant address will then bring up the latest EPC to be lodged.
If you make a note of the RRN from this EPC, you will then be able to view the entire
EPC history (if there has been more activity than one EPC).
Step 2. Select ‘Retrieve Report Using Report Reference Number’ from the home
screen. Input the copied RRN. Click on the arrow adjacent to the ‘PDF’ field. In the
drop-down, change ‘PDF’ to ‘List’. All EPCs which have been lodged on the
National Data Base will then show. On Construction EPCs (created via full SAP
methodology) bear the description ‘SAP New Dwelling’ on the first page, and U-
values are displayed in the ‘Summary of this home’s energy performance related
features’ section instead of a text description of each element on the RdSAP version.
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
Searching - Authorised User Facility:
Accredited assessors can also apply to use the ‘Authorised User’ Facility which is
available via the Landmark website. To do this:
Log into ‘Access Elmhurst’ using your alpha-numeric surveyor ID
In the ‘My Documents’ section click on ‘Digital Certificate Password’ – there
are separate sections for E&W or Northern Ireland. Copy the password
exactly.
In the ‘My Documents’ section click on the ‘Digital Certificate’ for your region
Click through the Wizard, entering the password in the relevant field
Once a confirmation message appears on the screen, your authorised user
access is available via the device on which the facility was set up.
You can now search for EPCs by postcode and add addresses to the
database
What to do if you cannot locate a full SAP EPC on Landmark
There are circumstances where a full SAP EPC has not been produced, but before RdSAP
can be used to create the first certificate to be lodged on Landmark exhaustive research
must be carried out. In order to identify why it is not possible to now obtain SAP Calculations
and convert these to full SAP, the following are suggestions on how to prove this:
Obtain a statement from the home owner, as well as:
Keep a record of those contacted together with notes on the outcome, eg:
The name of the Architect/Building Control Officer/Developer*
The name of the person to you spoke to
The contact number, together with the date and time of the call
The content and outcome of your call
*The above are purely examples of any parties which may be involved in the build process –
there could be others.
The illustration of a
Landmark search result,
left, shows three RdSAP
EPCs have been lodged
for this property.
An EPC created via On
Construction software
will have the description
‘SAP-EPC’ against
‘report type’ instead of
just ‘EPC’
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
If it becomes apparent once exhaustive research has been completed that it is not now
possible to obtain the necessary information to locate or produce SAP Calculations, it would
be prudent to discuss the position with your Accreditation Body to ensure that you should
proceed using RdSAP methodology.
Use of Correct Software
A SAP Calculation and Full SAP EPC can only be produced from the Full SAP2012
Design software, not RdSAP. Unless you have undertaken the full SAP2012 Design
software training, purchased the SAP2012 Design software and been accredited as
an ‘On Construction DEA’, you are not permitted to produce an EPC for a newly
constructed or newly converted dwelling.
If you would like to review details and scheduled course dates of Elmhurst’s
OCDEA (On Construction Domestic Energy Assessor) training course please click
on this link. Alternatively, the New Build Residential Team telephone contact is
01455 883 236 or via email
Further reading: From time-to-time someone, usually from Building Control, will assert
that conversions do not require full SAP. This is not accurate, as the Government
document which can be accessed via the link below makes clear. See Regulation
7A, paragraph b under the heading ‘Energy performance certificate on
construction’.
http://origin-www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/284/contents/made
The first RdSAP Convention 1.01 gives the following direction:
RdSAP is for assessment of existing dwellings only. Where an EPC is required for a new
dwelling under building regulations it must be a SAP EPC. Any new dwelling,
including dwellings created by change of use, must be assessed using SAP. For this
purpose a new dwelling is, in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, one completed on
or after the relevant date. In Scotland this applies to a new dwelling submitted for
building warrant on or after the relevant date. The relevant date is 6 April 2008 in
E&W, 30 September 2008 in NI, or 1 May 2007 in Scotland.
Note 3: Important
Keep the record of your research together with your site notes
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
For a new dwelling, where no on-construction EPC has been lodged a SAP EPC is still
required, irrespective of whether the dwelling has been occupied. However, if
- the SAP data set (i.e. the full set of data used for building regulation compliance)
is not available and the evidence for its lack of availability has been provided, or
- the SAP data set is available but the dwelling has been altered in such a way
that the data is no longer applicable and the details of the alteration are
unknown (evidence that the dwelling has been altered and evidence for lack of
building regulation approval providing details of the alterations to be provided)it
can be assessed using RdSAP.
A note about Scotland
Note. In Scotland, a new dwelling for which the building warrant application was
submitted before 1 May 2007 or a dwelling created by change of use (a defined
conversion) does not require a SAP EPC under building regulations but will, under EPB
regulations, require an RdSAP EPC when offered for sale or rental.
This flow-chart below illustrates the type of EPC required:
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
A note about Smart Auditing
In the Smart Audit Trial which took place during 2016, EPCs lodged with the property
aged in Bands K & L (2007 to the present day) were automatically selected for a
compliance check. Whilst the outcome of the trial is not yet known, it is likely that this
criterion will be included if Smart Auditing is adopted. It is therefore very important
to ensure that you are aware of the rule relating to when RdSAP methodology can
be applied to an inspection, as all EPCs lodged in those bands will be ‘caught’ and
selected for audit. It will not be possible to hope that a random sweep will not select
a wrongly lodged certificate. Please keep in mind that replacing a wrongly
produced certificate is the responsibility of the assessor. As always, knowing the rules
will avoid QA problems!
Should you have any queries or need assistance, please call our Existing
Dwellings Technical Support Team on
01455 883 257 or e-mail us at: [email protected]
(Opening hours: Monday – Thursday, 8 am – 6 pm), Friday 8 am - 5 pm
Elmhurst Energy – TB03 - July 2017 - Version: 6.0
DEA CPD Courses, Fulfil your annual requirements
Elmhurst Members receive an exclusive discount on all CPD events
Elmhurst continues to run training and CPD events nationwide, from Edinburgh to Exeter.
Our training is delivered by experienced and qualified assessors to ensure you can learn
at your own pace, and leave feeling confident about putting what you’ve learned into
practice.
Below is a list of CPD events we are running throughout the year:
CPD/ Training Course CPD Hours
RdSAP Refresher 5 Hours CPD
RdSAP Masterclass 5 Hours CPD
Overcoming QA Issues 5 Hours CPD
Legionella Control for Property Management 5 Hours CPD
Common Helpdesk Queries 5 Hours CPD
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards 6 Hours CPD
Inventory 5 Hours CPD
Solar PV 5 Hours CPD
Floor Plan 5 Hours CPD
Property Photography 5 Hours CPD
Renewable Energy Awareness 5 Hours CPD
DEA Conventions 5 Hours CPD
Introduction to Construction 5 Hours CPD
If there is a group of you looking to undertake some CPD, Elmhurst can deliver courses in
a location of your choice!
If you would like further information please contact 01455 883 250
