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Many of you will have heard the Prime Minister state that “those who can’t work from home” will be “actively encouraged to go to work” especially those in “manufacturing and construction” and be wondering how that will affect energy assessors required to access buildings. The “Stay at Home” advice in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is unchanged. At the time of writing (9am on Monday 11th May 2020) the UK Government advice is unchanged but
On 4th May 2020 Government released further details about the their coronavirus Bounce Back Loan scheme which is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, with a ceiling of 25% of turnover. The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5% a year. The loan is available
Want to carry out energy assessments from home? Have you got relative industry experience? Well then our online APEL OCDEA course is for you! We talk to Elmhurst OCDEA Team Leader Jason Hewins to find out more. Hi Jason, what is the APEL route and how does it differ from the standard 4-day course? The APEL course is a fast-track route for those with industry experience who are looking to become On Construction Domestic Energy
PEPA, the Property Energy Professionals Association, of which Elmhurst is a member, have been quite proactive during the COVID-19 epidemic. They have recently updated their COVID-19 Resource Kit, written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in support of company directors, and are now asking for input from Energy Assessors as to what more needs to be done. On 1st April, PEPA issued a detailed ‘Resource Kit’ for Energy Assessors detailing all of the Government and
Elmhurst has been made aware of at least one UK bank sending letters to their buy-to-let landlords outlining the updated Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for England and Wales The legislation first took effect in April 2018 and stipulated that private rented properties must have an Energy Performance Certificate rating of ‘E’ or above before being let. However this did not apply to existing tenancies. On 1st April 2020 the regulations were extended to include
Since its formation in 2018 the role of the SAP Industry Forum (SAPIF) has been to consider what the priorities should be for the development of SAP 11. This has included a review of new technologies and measures that may become more popular in new build homes in the coming years. On 17th April 2020 the SAP Industry Forum published its final report which was sent to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
The Coronavirus outbreak continues to have a big impact on everyone’s daily lives, as the population continues to follow the guidance on social distancing and staying at home. This is a situation that many people have never experienced before, and it can feel strange, confusing and overwhelming. The way that we think, feel and behave during these unprecedented times, will vary from person to person and will even change over time. This is why it
Last December the Scottish Government established targets for owner occupied homes through its consultation ‘Energy Efficient Scotland- Improving energy efficiency in owner occupied homes’. The headline is a bold move to ensure that all homes sold in Scotland from 2024, and onwards, have a ‘C’ rating on their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Elmhurst has spent time reviewing the proposals made within this consultation and has previously published a draft response. In addition to this, The
Many companies in the UK have taken the decision to put their employees on temporary leave of absence (furlough) in order to curtail the financial impact of COVID-19. However, businesses now face a new challenge to keep their furloughed employees engaged and will also need to consider how best to prepare the business following this pandemic. One way Elmhurst is helping energy and housing professionals remain engaged is through online training and Continuing Professional Development
Following requests from Elmhurst and PEPA, the Government has now issued guidance around the production of Energy Perfrormance Certificates (EPCs) in existing properties/buildings, in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. A quick summary of the guidance states: The legal requirement to obtain an EPC before selling or letting a property remains in place. A valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement when a property is sold, let or constructed and must be completed