CIBSE Low Carbon Consultants and Energy Assessors

Frequently asked Questions

1. What do I have to do to become an Energy Assessor and produce Energy Performance Certificates and Display Energy Certificates?

2. If I am already trained in SBEM by BRE do I have to retrain to join the LCC Simulation register?

3. Why do I need to produce Carbon Returns?

4. Why do I need to undertake low carbon related CPD?

5. I signed up for the LCC register in the belief it would make me competent.  Why do I have to pay for additional training and certification?

6. Why do I need to provide evidence of PII?

7. What level of cover do I need to practice as a LCC?

8. I work for a local authority/private company and I only advise colleagues ‘in-house' therefore I don't have any PI - what should I do?

9. As my company is not a consultancy and I act as a direct employee for its own portfolio only I do not have a professional indemnity.

What do I have to do to become an Energy Assessor and produce Energy Performance Certificates and Display Energy Certificates?

Government has decided that to be an energy assessor you must be a member of an accredited scheme.  The Scheme run by CIBSE Certification Ltd. was approved by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 10th January 2008. To become an accredited energy assessor you will need to complete all aspects of the registration process...full details from the CIBSE Energy Centre website 

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To demonstrate your competence in the use of either SBEM or DSM, you must have been assessed in its use. This assessment will include the production of one EPC under exam conditions. Assessment and suitable training are available from all the software providers.

If your training is up to date and you are familiar with the latest versions of the software which have an EPC as one of their outputs you may be able to go forward for assessment without further training. Training is not a requirement of joining the register, as long as you can pass the appropriate assessment for the software package you use.

If you wish to use the free iSBEM software you can be trained either by BRE, or via one of CIBSE's training partners such as Wensley & Laws. If you wish to join the LCC or LCEA registers, you must have been examined as well as trained. BRE has separate prices for their training and assessment, so if you have already been trained by BRE and do not need training in the new version of SBEM, Wensley & Laws can provide an examination for you.

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CIBSE asks all LCCs to monitor carbon savings from projects and produce annual returns for two reasons. It encourages LCCs to think about the impact of their work in carbon terms, and it also enables CIBSE to assess the impact of the scheme. This is important when considering proposals to reduce carbon emissions, because the Institution is then better able to judge what is realistic for those already following the practices which LCCs are trained to adopt.   Find out how to make your return on the CIBSE Energy Centre website

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It is a requirement for all professional members of CIBSE or any other professional body to undertake CPD. Low Carbon Consultants, as specialists in low carbon issues, should be undertaking at least some of their CPD in that area of activity. It is also a requirement of accredited Schemes for Energy Assessors that they check that all registered Energy Assessors carry out regular and appropriate CPD.

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The Low Carbon Consultants Scheme was established to provide a basis for a Competent Persons Scheme for Part L compliance checks, and also to provide potential Energy Assessors to implement building energy certificates. However, it was made clear from the outset that these arrangements depended on the outcome of detailed discussions with the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

We believe that overall costs of registration and training through CIBSE are very reasonable. The way the National Occupational Standards have been drafted means that it will be necessary for Energy Assessors to be competent in all the skills necessary to produce an Energy Certificate, even where they do not actually carry out the activities themselves on a day to day basis.

Those that have trained and joined the LCC register already satisfy many of the requirements for Energy Assessors. Every effort is being made to keep the additional costs low, especially for existing LCCs.

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We require PII details because it is a statutory condition of accreditation as an Energy Assessor. The Low Carbon Consultants Scheme requires adherence to a code of conduct, the passing of an exam and evidence of adequate insurance for the work done.  We ask for a copy of the company's Professional Indemnity Insurance certificate or your own if you are insured individually.  This certificate is not passed on or accessible to any third party.

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This is a matter for you to decide with your broker in the light of the type of work you do. We suggest you contact your broker to review your insurance before undertaking work as an Energy Assessor. At the moment we are not asking for any extra cover. We simply wish to be able to assure clients and others who use registered LCCs that they are insured.

In the future there should be case law to indicate the level of extra cover (if any) that professionals working as energy assessors will need. This will happen:

• Once new buildings have been completed and sold under the new arrangements

• Once the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations have been implemented and commercial decisions are being made on the basis of an energy certificate

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Or:

In that case you should provide a written statement of this and we will simply make a note of this fact. If your circumstances change you must let us know, as it could affect the validity of your accreditation.

If an LCC only works for their employer then the employer carries the risk.  However, this will need to be confirmed and recorded on the register as a requirement of DCLG.