UK government to modernise home energy rating scheme in time for Future Homes Standard

The UK Government has announced a new project with BEIS and BRE to improve and modernise the methodology used to measure the energy and environmental performance of UK homes.

As part of a three-year project, BRE will be developing a new version of the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), the government’s system for assessing and comparing the energy rating of residential dwellings. This methodology is also used to create the information on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and to show compliance with the energy conservation requirements of Building Regulations in the UK.

The project will see BRE lead a number of organisations and individuals in academia and industry to deliver a new methodology – known as ‘SAP 11’ – which will be used by governments and industry to better measure and understand the energy performance of homes.

SAP 11 is expected to be ready for use as part of the Future Homes Standard – a set of measures to be introduced on new homes built from 2025, to ensure they are fitted with low-carbon forms of heating, in line with the UK’s wider net zero drive.

BRE’s methodology development will be guided by organisations and individuals within its steering group, who will either support the development of the method directly or be involved in the reviewing and validating process.

John Henderson, Project Director, BRE said: “As the UK begins to escalate its net zero initiatives, SAP 11 will be instrumental in the effort to decarbonise the nation’s existing housing stock and ensure the use of low-carbon heating in new homes. As the new methodology will improve EPC accuracy, energy efficiency measurements will be more reliable than ever. Effective assessment of energy performance is going to be absolutely central to our progress towards net zero.”

Read the full article here.