During construction it may be necessary to make some amendments to the design. Keeping your assessor informed during this process, seeking their advice prior to confirming any changes, will help to ensure that your finished building will comply with the current regulations.
Once construction is complete an air pressure test (sometimes called an air tightness test or air leakage test) may be required. This test confirms the air tightness of the finished building to ensure it is energy efficient. You will need to provide a copy of the certificate to your energy assessor. If an air pressure test is not required by law you may still wish to obtain one. If the result of a test is not available then the assessor will use a default value in the SAP calculations. This value is a worst case reflecting a very poor standard. Having a test conducted voluntarily is likely to improve your final rating and help demonstrate that you have complied with the regulations.
During this stage the assessor will edit the SAP calculation to reflect the results of the air pressure test and any variations to the specification. The approved software is used to check that the completed dwelling still meets the requirements of the Building Regulations with regards to the conservation of fuel and power. If for any reason the building does not meet the required standards, the assessor can advise remedial action to get your project back on track.
The assessor will also check to ensure that any new building is registered on the Government’s central database register of national property addresses.
If you have included renewables as part of your project, you assessor will also require final confirmation of these. They will also need copies of any final installation certificates like the MCS certificate for new solar arrays connected to the electricity grid.
At this point your Building Control Officer will confirm that they are satisfied the specification provided and the final calculations reflect the building accurately. Your accredited assessor will then create the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The EPC provides a rating of energy performance based upon the dwelling as it has been built. Often this is different from the design calculation as it reflects changes that have been made during the construction process. Once lodged on the National Register, the final Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) must, by law, be displayed in the new dwelling if it is put up for sale on the open market.
In addition there are other documents that are required by Building Control such as the SAP worksheet report and the SAP data input report. Your assessor will provide all of these documents to you to pass on to your Building Control Officer. Without these you should not be able to get the building signed off and obtain your Completion Certificate. The exact process here depends upon the location of your building and the Building Control organisation you are using. Our expert assessors and your Building Control Officer will both assist you as much as they can to ensure this process is completed as smoothly as possible.