The Association of Building Sustainability Assessors (ABSA) is encouraging conveyancers, mortgage lenders, certifiers, property inspectors, real estate agents and building surveyors to use a new investigative tool, ABSA’s Rating Certification System (RCS), which can assist them to find out information about a newly constructed property’s energy rating.
“This is a new and innovative tool developed by ABSA to make the work of people in these important professions just that little easier and thorough – they can quickly ascertain whether the initial design of a new home or unit has been assessed by a quality, accredited ABSA building thermal performance assessor and is capable of meeting mandatory 6 star energy efficiency requirements,” Rodger Hills, ABSA’s CEO said.
“The certificate shows the NatHERS Star Rating the building should achieve as well as the simulated/predicted heating and cooling loads (in MJ/m2/annum),” he said.
Homeowner Certificates can only be generated by an ABSA Accredited Energy Assessor (Residential Building Thermal Performance Assessor) who has:
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Committed to and signed the ABSA Code of Practice.
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Completed training and an accreditation exam.
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Passed regular Quality Assurance audits.
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Current Professional Indemnity insurance cover.
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Accumulated Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points.
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Paid all accreditation and membership fees.
As a further safeguard, the Homeowner Certificate has a unique check-digit Certification Number that can be verified by entering it on ABSA’s website and validating the rating information. This eliminates any chance of fraud where unscrupulous operators might try to forge or duplicate certificates.
