Prepare zero carbon home certificates
Overview
This standard is about preparing certificates for dwellings that are assessed as being 'Zero-Carbon' for the purposes of compliance with the relevant devolved nation's Land Tax regulations. These assessments follow the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and address the impact on CO2 emissions caused by dwelling occupiers' use of, for example, brown and white goods, and the mitigating effects of on-dwelling and on-development renewable electricity supplies.
On Construction Domestic Energy Assessors are able to carry out the certification of Zero- Carbon homes. This certificate will be the primary form of evidence that is offered by builders/developers for consideration by the relevant devolved nation government to grant Land Tax relief to an owner of a Zero-Carbon dwelling. It will state whether the Assessor has undertaken additional training for Zero-Carbon certification. Certificates for Zero-Carbon dwellings are separate from Building Regulations Energy Performance compliance certificates and Energy Performance Certificates, and common findings will need to be included in each.
The standard is about offering design stage checks, using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), to builders/developers wishing to check that their designs will make the 'as built' dwellings eligible for the relevant devolved nation's Land Tax relief, and clarifying the status and limitations of such advice. You will reassess dwellings on physical completion 'as built' to establish whether they meet the eligibility criteria and prepare and issue certificates where Zero-Carbon status has been achieved.
You must understand and work to the requirements of each devolved nation.
Note that this standard can only be achieved by individuals who have been accredited as On Construction Domestic Energy Assessors or through equivalent schemes.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- conduct assessments at design stage to determine whether dwellings qualify for the relevant devolved nation's Land Tax relief
- communicate the results of your design stage assessments to customers, clarifying the status and limitations of the advice provided
- conduct assessments of dwellings at physical completion, 'as built', to establish finally whether they qualify for the relevant devolved nation's Land Tax relief
- assess dwellings against the relevant eligibility criteria confirming that there is evidence to support your conclusions
- prepare and issue certificates to customers for Zero-Carbon dwellings and homes in accordance with the relevant devolved nation's requirements
- maintain complete and accurate records relating to the preparation of certificates for Zero-Carbon dwellings and homes in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation
- help customers to explain, where required, the Zero-Carbon Certificate and the calculations to the relevant devolved nation government
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- the rationale underpinning the certification of Zero-Carbon dwellings and homes, and the relevant devolved nation's regulations that support the initiative
- the legal criteria for the relevant devolved nation for eligibility for relief from Land Tax
- the relevant legal requirements for the relevant devolved nation relating to the content of Zero-Carbon Home Certificates
- when and by whom a Zero-Carbon Home Certificate should be commissioned
- the importance of assessing the construction of a physically completed dwelling 'as built', (rather than the design) to determine whether it qualifies for Land Tax relief
- the importance of verifying with customers that design stage assessments do not provide proof of eligibility
- how to conduct an assessment at design stage to provide developers with information on the eligibility of their plans for the relevant devolved nation Land Tax relief
- how to determine which zero-carbon energy supplies are eligible
- how to assess the amounts of energy supply to the dwelling that have a zero-carbon burden
- how to conduct assessments of dwellings at physical completion,' as built', to determine whether they qualify for the relevant devolved nation's Land Tax relief
- how to prepare and issue Zero-Carbon Home Certificates
- how to maintain records relating to the preparation of certificates for Zero Carbon dwellings, in accordance with the relevant Data Protection legislation
Scope/range
Information:
- the address of the dwelling, including postcode
- a list of the legal criteria for establishing eligibility for SDLT relief, and the evidence that these have been met
- declaration that the dwelling is Zero-Carbon
- own name and scheme belong to
- the name and address of employer, or trading name/address if self-employed
- a statement to confirm that the requirements of this standard are met by self
- the unique identifying number of the EPC produced for the new dwelling
- date issued