WHY?

ENVIRONMENT

Climate change is becoming an increasing concern, with levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere a major cause of climate change. This has risen by more than a third since the industrial revolution, and is increasingly rising faster than ever before leading to temperature rises as well as significant environmental changes:

Ice Cap retreating, Arctic sea ice thinning, Increase in global sea level

(Governments 'Energy White paper' Feb 2003)

In light of these concerns, the Government has committed to a target of a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050.

In terms of CO2, buildings are the biggest culprits in the UK, with domestic properties contributing to more emissions than other buildings, in fact 1/3 of all of UK emissions are from domestic homes.

The Government is looking to change attitudes and raising awareness by alerting home owners to how energy efficient their properties are and how to thermally improve their homes.

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GOVERNMENT DIRECTIVES:

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The Kyoto Protocol is an agreement made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The energy policy of the United Kingdom fully endorses goals for carbon dioxide emissions reduction and has committed to proportionate reduction in national emissions on a phased basis. The United Kingdom is a signatory to the Kyoto Protocol.

On March 13, 2007, a draft Climate Change Bill was published after cross-party pressure over several years, led by environmental groups. The Bill aims to put in place a framework to achieve a mandatory 60% cut in the UK's carbon emissions by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), with an intermediate target of between 26% and 32% by 2020. If approved, the United Kingdom is likely to become the first country to set such a long-range and significant carbon reduction target into law.

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Directive 2002/91/EU is set to promote the improvement of energy performance of buildings with the following requirements to be implemented by the Member States:

The general framework for a methodology of calculation of the integrated energy performance of buildings:

• The application of minimum requirements on the energy performance of new buildings
• The application of minimum requirements on the energy performance of large existing buildings that are subject to major renovation
• Energy performance certification of buildings
• Regular inspection of boilers and of air-conditioning systems in buildings and in addition an assessment of the heating installation in which the boilers are more than 15 years old
• Requirements for experts and inspectors for the certification of buildings, the drafting of the accompanying recommendations and the inspection of boilers and air-conditioning systems

HOW? 

In addition to producing the Energy Efficiency Rating (cost based), the SAP also produces the Environmental Impact Rating (an estimate of carbon emissions).