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FREE SAP SOFTWARE DEMO AND TRAINING FOR ENERGY ASSESSORS JOINING NAPIT
With the first set of regulations now in force requiring the energy performance of buildings to be formally certified, NAPIT has launched their new Energy Assessors Scheme approved by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s) will rate buildings based on their energy use, in particular targeting areas such as cooling, space heating and water heating. EPC’s will be required particularly when building, selling or renting property.
Requirements for Newly Built Dwellings
The requirement for newly built houses (referred to in much of the legislation as ‘on-construction dwellings’) to be certificated came in on the 6th April 2008. It demands that such EPC certification and an accompanying recommendation report is produced by an Energy Assessor who is registered with an accreditation scheme such as that offered by NAPIT. The EPC’s are valid for use in Home Information Packs.
Builders, architects and other professionals who are already using SAP 2005 software to satisfy Part L of the Building Regulations will find that they are already doing most of the work and have all of the skills necessary to become accredited. Existing users of SAP software will also benefit from discounted NAPIT joining fees.
Energy Assessors Scheme Registration
There are 12 organisations in total that have been approved to run Energy Assessor Accreditation Schemes. These schemes state the applicant should complete either a Diploma or go through a process for experienced assessors known as APEL. The APEL route should prove to be more cost effective than a diploma, but costs associated with APEL vary significantly from one scheme to another, and can often involve giving significant time up to attend training courses.
For registration onto the NAPIT Energy Assessor Scheme applicants can complete the software training course free of charge and in their own time. The Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL) process consists of:
• To begin the applicant must complete a standard application form which collects relevant details of past experience.
• Applicants must either be a member of a recognised professional body (e.g. RIBA, RIAS, CIAT, CIOB, RICS) or take a Professional Skills Assessment.
• Applicants then complete the online software training course.
• Following this course, applicants complete an online exam.
• Finally, the applicant completes a number of case studies which are checked for methodology and accuracy.
SAP Software
Out of the 12 organisations that have been approved to run Energy Assessor Accreditation Schemes, NAPIT are one of five to hold their own SAP approved software, licensed from Complete Picture UK Ltd. This software completes tasks such as calculating dwelling emissions and enables users to produce EPC certificates.
Whereas most of the other scheme organisations charge for the use of this software, or require it to be separately purchased, NAPIT provide this free of charge once registered on their EA scheme.
David Cowburn, NAPIT’s Standards Director, says: “We wanted to focus our scheme on the needs of experienced SAP users, who shouldn’t have to give up valuable time to attend courses that are often unnecessary. Our distance learning material and simple pricing policy of a one-off APEL fee and an annual membership which includes the supply and all future updates for the software is, we believe, the most cost effective approach in this sector.”
To download a demo version of the NAPIT EA Scheme SAP Software and to access its tutorials please go to: www.buildreg.com/index.php/Downloads.html
NAPIT are also approved for other sectors which come into effect later in the year, including commercial and public buildings, and the energy performance of air conditioning installations.
The NAPIT EA scheme will run alongside the existing NAPIT Competent Person Schemes for the electrical, ventilation, heating and plumbing industries.