Not currently an Elmhurst Design User
I am NOT currently an Elmhurst Design SAP user:
Existing construction industry professionals may join the Accreditation Scheme even if not currently Elmhurst Design SAP2005 users, but must demonstrate prior relevant experience and / or qualifications related to the design, construction or energy performance of dwellings, and also must complete additional training and assessment.
As an experienced practitioner your existing experience will allow you to join to the Elmhurst EPC Accreditation Scheme, using what Government refer to as Approved Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) which recognises the experience of existing building and energy professionals already operating in the market place. However all applicants for APEL must be able to demonstrate that they have met all the knowledge and understanding and requirements and performance criteria set out in the National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the production of EPCs for dwellings on construction. –click on link for NOS-
Please note this route is specifically aimed at construction industry related persons who have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the construction process, the Building Regulations and related standards for energy performance. The APEL route is not suitable to all, and for those without the necessary experience in Building Regulations or energy performance of buildings, they will need to undertake a ‘new entrant on-construction Qualification – which are currently in development and will be available in the near future.
In order to qualify for the APEL route, assessors must:
- Demonstrate relevant experience, or a formal qualification related to the design, construction and/or energy performance of dwellings.
- Attend the appropriate Elmhurst Design SAP2005 assessor training course
- Complete a practical assessment comprising of 5 SAP2005 calculations to the required current industry standards for assessment using the Elmhurst Design Software (these can include the completion of calculations from plans assigned to you by Elmhurst, if you are not currently producing SAPs)
- Demonstrate you have the wider skills to function as a competent professional in the construction industry i.e. an understanding of communications, health & safety, conflicts of interest etc. This can be demonstrated by either showing membership of a relevant professional body* or undertaking the
* The following memberships/qualifications will be accepted; MCIOB, Tech/M/F/RICS, MBEng, RIBA, CIAT or Level 4 qualification in Building Control/Building Surveying / Home Inspection, or level 3 qualifications in Domestic Energy Assessment.
Accreditation and EPC Production Fees (non-Elmhurst design users)
The cost of accreditation for has three elements; the cost of the Design training course, an Annual Membership fee and a separate fee per EPC issued, as detailed below. In addition you will also require a current Elmhurst Design SAP2005 Software licence – prices indicated on application form -.
Membership Fees are as follows:
Membership/Application Fee Year 1*: £350.00 + VAT
AND
3 day Design SAP2005 training course £850.00 + VAT
OR
1 day Design SAP2005 Training course £250 + VAT if previously trained on full new build SAP by a FAERO Authorised SAP software provider i.e. NHER or Northgate (MVM) (Evidence of FAERO training will be required on application)
Notes: If your application is unsuccessful £200.00 + VAT will be returned
Subsequent Years Membership Renewal is expected to be £200.00 + VAT
Energy Performance Certificate costs:
The current total cost of an EPC is £12.50 + VAT which includes a central lodgement fee which is payable to the Governments central register. This fee is expected to be £1.15 + VAT, if this changes you will be notified and the cost passed on by Elmhurst without any margin or mark-up.
The process for applying is:
Step 1: Complete the Application Form for Approved Prior Experiential and Learning (APEL) for Newly Constructed Dwellings (non Elmhurst Design users), ensuring to provide:
A completed application form documenting your relevant construction / energy industry experience and / or qualifications.
Evidence of adequate levels of Professional Indemnity Insurance
Evidence of membership of a relevant professional body (if applicable)
Payment of appropriate application and training fee
Sign and date declaration
Step 2: Following receipt of your application you will be contacted by our team to confirm the date of your appropriate Elmhurst Design SAP2005 Training Course / or for those candidates that are deemed insufficiently experienced to apply via the APEL route, they will be informed and advised as to more appropriate options.
Step 3: You will attend the said training course, and upon conclusion undertake the required 5 SAP2005 Calculations and submit for assessment. (If you are a member of a professional body please move to step 5, for others continue to step 4)
Step 4: On the training course you will be also given the detailed, Elmhurst distance learning soft skills materials and assessment; which you will complete in your own time and return to Elmhurst for marking and assessment.
Step 5: Upon successfully completing the steps above you will be informed of your new Elmhurst EPC Accreditation membership number, and your details will be lodged with the relevant Government register. You will then be licensed to produce EPCs.**
Download and print an Application form – Click here-
** Please note to produce EPCs you will need to have copy of the Elmhurst Design SAP2005 software. – all prices on the application form -
For those failing to meet the required standard in their 5 EPCs, we reserve the right to charge for additional assessments and there are limits on the number of re-submissions that each candidate is allowed. Please note we can only accredit persons who demonstrate the required standards and Elmhurst can not guarantee that all candidates will be able to reach the industry recognised standards.
FAQs
How many new build EPCs do Government think will be needed in the first year? And how many persons do they expect they require to enable their production?
This figure is clearly based on current market conditions and the number of new build dwellings likely to be built in 2008-09. CLG expect the figure to be around 150,000 new dwellings per annum, this is due to rise to approx 220,000 per annum over the next 5 years.
So for example if we assume a licensed accredited SAP assessor produces say 10 SAPs per week, a full time assessor would produce 400 and 500 SAPs per year, meaning that the entire market would require between 300 and 550 full time SAP assessors.
I have previously trained via another provider e.g. NHER, Northgate etc. What do I need to do?
This shows you have experience and knowledge in the provision of SAP rating calculations, these experiences can be quite varied; to ensure consistency and quality, and more importantly to understand the Elmhurst SAP Software and standards, you can apply, but you will have to undertake the current one day training course; which will embrace your skill set and expand to complete the knowledge and understanding required for this APEL route.
Although I am experienced person in this industry I have never undertaken any formal training on SAP, is this scheme for me?
The Elmhurst APEL route is available to all persons with skills which can be mapped against the relevant NOS; the aim of which is to fill in the missing sections from the NOS e.g. detailed and comprehensive training on SAP2005, U-values, domestic heating systems, renewable technology etc. The three day training course, materials and assessment will provide you with all the necessary skills. Please note this is not a route for new entrants without construction industry experience, and they should wait for new formal qualification route to be launched.
Does Elmhurst offer any business opportunities at the end of the course?
Elmhurst are experts in training and providing software solutions to persons and organisations, to let them provide SAP calculations and EPCs to their own customers. Although we will not be directly offering work or contacts for SAP and EPC work, we will certainly help to direct our members to opportunities where they exist via our website and newsletters. We strongly expect persons to do there own marketing and understand their business opportunities.
If I am already qualified as a Domestic Energy Assessor, why can I not produce an RdSAP rating on a new build property?
Legislation is very different for new build properties as opposed to sales of existing properties. The Government are linking the production of a Building Regulation/standards calculation as the trigger point to produce the EPC. This is advantageous to a developer who has to employ one person to produce and guide them through the Building Regs/standards procedure and also upon completion legally produce the required EPC. Most importantly the on construction SAP calculation and EPC is produced off plan and is not done on-site, and hence has a very different skill set required by the assessors for example detailed understanding of the necessary regulations vs. surveying skills that are required to assess an existing property.
Furthermore the new build construction industry and the provision of Building Regulations/standards and EPC production is a very different market to the offering of EPCs as part of the Home Information Packs on sales of existing homes. Different DEA courses are available for this separate market sector.
I think I understand the new system, but could you please advise me of a typical new build project from design stage to the production of an EPC, preferable in layman’s language!
The requirement for EPCs on construction will slightly change what currently happens within the industry for building regulation purposes, and the APEL route will enable experienced SAP assessors already in the market place to join our Accreditation Scheme and continue to provide their customers with their Building Regulations/Standards provisions and then also the new EPC.
To make it clearer the general process is as follows:
Step 1: Developer designs a new build dwelling
Step 2: The SAP assessor will advise and check with the developer at this design stage that the dwelling complies with the minimum standards in the relevant Building Regs/standards, by using the Elmhurst Design SAP2005 software.
Step 3: Once the dwelling complies, then SAP assessor will provide the Design Stage Compliance Checklist from the software to the relevant Building Control Body (BCB) and provide a Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA) to the developer/client – which is an estimate of what the final EPC will say, assuming the dwelling is built as designed.
Step 4: Construction phase of dwelling
Step 5: Once completed, the same SAP assessor can recalculate the SAP rating, to ensure that it reflects the dwelling as actually built and includes certain additional information only available once construction has been completed e.g. pressure test results, name and make of boiler etc.
Step 6: The licensed SAP assessor who is also a member of the Elmhurst Accreditation Scheme can at the click of a button upload the dataset to the members area of the Elmhurst website, and this will lodge the report in the Governments central registry and instantaneously sending back, direct to the SAP assessor the EPC.
Step 7: The final as-built Compliance Checklist and EPC are submitted to the relevant BCB for approval enabling the Completion Certificate to be provided.
The new part to the process is clearly Step 6, which is why we are encouraging all SAP assessors to join the scheme, as we believe clients will want a one stop shop for building regulation/standards calculations and provision of the EPC.
Can I fail the Elmhurst Design SAP2005 course?
Yes is ultimately the answer, if you can’t complete the necessary assessments of competence to the required Government Standards then it is possible to fail. Please read the section on the application form for further clarification of the rules and procedures in such circumstances.
I am not a member of a professional body and realise that I need to show a level of knowledge and understanding against the new National Occupational Standards (NOS) for soft skills – why do I need to do this?
Although you are very likely to have all the skills necessary on soft skills such as health and safety, client relationships etc. in your present or previous positions; all persons who obtain a licence through the APEL route must prove and demonstrate that they do meet the required standards. We at Elmhurst have produced a comprehensive distance learning module which is easy to understand and covers all the required knowledge and understanding, by undertaking the assessment questions in this module, you will clearly show to Government that you are of the correct standard required.
What is this relevance of the National Occupational Standards (NOS)?
The Government use independent bodies called Sector Skills Councils, and in the case of the construction industry, one called Asset Skills, to write the NOS for energy rating buildings. The NOS define the level of skills, knowledge and understanding required to be able to competently undertake a particular job. This then forms the standard by which individuals will be judged in regards to competence by the Accreditation Scheme or when completing a formal qualification.
Elmhurst have been granted the ability to use the Approved Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) to ensure existing skilled persons can become licensed to produce EPCs without having to undertake a formal qualification. Basically Elmhurst will map your existing skills against the framework (NOS) and allow you to fill in the missing blanks to complete a full set of necessary skills.
The Government want to have a qualification for New Build On-Construction Energy Assessment. It is understood this qualifications will become available for new entrants in the near future; which will be the appropriate route for persons new to this industry. We will endeavour to keep our customers informed when such an option is available.