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All new homes since 1st January 2007 must have a Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate before they can be offered for sale or for rent. Since July 2008 the legislation was applied to non-domestic buildings for which planning permission is applied.
This initiative is being driven with the aim of reducing demands on fossil fuels by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) .
Buildings have been identified as being the largest users of energy in the EU representing 40% of our total energy consumption. With the dedication of citizens Europe-wide, it is anticipated that we can reduce this figure by approximately 22% by 2010.
For existing homes however, there is no obligation on owners to upgrade their homes in the event that their home fails to achieve a good rating. However it is clearly a signal to the respective owner that their home is costing them money as being inefficient. It would also be a negative should the owner wish to sell their home.
The legislation applies to all buildings, new or otherwise, when offered for sale or for letting, after January 2009.
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