We recently launched our new National Energy Services website. You can see it by visiting www.nesltd.co.uk.

The site brings together all the information that could previously be found across several NHER and SAVA sites. We hope the new site helps you find information quicker and easier, and allows you to keep up to date with industry events and all the news from NHER and SAVA.

This new site is the first phase of development. Later in 2010 we will make further improvements, particularly as we work to promote and improve the functionality of our 'Find an Assessor' facility.

If you link to any NHER or SAVA site from your own website, you may wish to update the links. The process of redirecting pages from existing NHER and SAVA sites has begun and will shortly be complete.

We hope you'll look around the new site and let us know what you think. If you have any questions or suggestions relating to the new site, please contact Matthew Culnane.

We recently submitted our second annual report to CLG on the operation of the NHER accreditation scheme. It covers the period 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009.

The report contains information on our membership base, lodgements and quality assurance processes. We also highlight the two large pieces of research we carried out in this period: 'Compliance on the High Street', a report into Commercial EPC non-compliance; and 'Seizing the Opportunity', exploring the opportunities created by the EPC and its recommendations.

We are justifiably proud of our achievements and those of our members over the previous 12 months. Together, we have worked hard to increase awareness of the EPC's importance and value and to promote best practice in the energy assessment industry. We have also continued to provide support for our Home Inspector members through lobbying and development of the Home Condition Survey.

In the report we repeat our recommendations from the previous annual report, which went unacknowledged by CLG. They remain important and relevant today.

Click here to read the report. (PDF, 8MB)

National Energy Services have just completed the third month of their EPC Compliance Index and the results show there has been no further improvement.

The EPC Compliance Index was launched in October as a partnership between National Energy Services and Building Magazine and its objective is to track the monthly compliance with the law on EPCs in the commercial property sector. The Index follows NES' research in June 2009 which showed that more than 80% of commercial property agents were unable to supply a mandatory EPC for the offices or shops they were marketing for sale or rent.

The third EPC Compliance Index stands at 32 meaning that 32% of the commercial properties were legal and compliant in December 2009. The other 68% did not have an EPC lodged on the Government's official register. December's research was of 521 commercial buildings throughout Lincoln, Northumberland, Nottingham and Hertfordshire. All properties were individually Identifiable and have been on the market in the last 30 days.

Austin Baggett, Deputy MD of NES said "We are disappointed that the December index failed to improve on November's results. 32% compliance on a regulation that has been fully operational for nearly a year is woeful. What is the point of Ed Miliband's fighting talk at Copenhagen when we can't even take the relatively easy step to make the carbon emissions from our commercial buildings more transparent? The industry must set a target that we will be fully compliant within 12 months. We urge the Government to take forward the 4 recommendations we made back in June."

It is two years since the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) as part of the information provided to people buying and selling homes in England and Wales.

EPCs contain information on the energy efficiency of the property, its likely fuel costs and carbon dioxide emissions, together with recommendations of possible improvement measures, the rating and the savings they could deliver.

We have analysed the data we hold on over 300,000 EPCs issued for homes marketed for sale in England and Wales during the period January 2008 to March 2009. This quantifies the potential reduction in energy waste and CO2 emissions from the recommended measures.

We also commissioned consumer research among more than 300 buyers of homes for which we held the EPC data, to assess their reaction to the EPC and their willingness to act on the recommendations.

Read the full 'Seizing the Opportunity' report here.

The 2nd month of our EPC Compliance Index shows compliance levels improving - but there is still a long way to go.

The EPC Compliance Index was launched by National Energy Services (NES) and Building magazine in October. It aims to track compliance with the law on Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in the commercial property sector.

The Index follows NES' research in June 2009 (full report here) which showed that more than 80% of commercial property agents were unable to supply a mandatory EPC for the offices or shops they were marketing for sale or rent.

The second EPC Compliance Index stands at 32. This means that 32% of commercial properties were legal and compliant in November 2009, while the other 68% did not have an EPC lodged on the Government's official register. This is an improvement on the October index which stood at 25.

The sample in November was 517 commercial buildings throughout Durham, Leicestershire, Wiltshire, and North Yorkshire. All properties are individually identifiable and have been on the market in the last 30 days.

Austin Baggett, Deputy MD of NES said "We are pleased that the index has shown a higher level of compliance with this important environmental legislation compared to just a month ago. I am hopeful that this is a real sign that industry is beginning to take EPCs more seriously. However, compliance rates are still very low and some of the increase could be due to regional variances. The proof will be in next month's Index where we hope that this growth is maintained".

Austin added "We are still calling on the Government to make it mandatory to display the EPC rating on all commercial building agents' particulars. This will help communicate the energy efficiency of the property to prospective owners and tenants, and will also make compliance with the law more transparent."

Today we're launching our NES advent calendar, full of great offers for you between today and Christmas Eve.

Every day we'll have a new offer appearing at 8am. Simply click on today's date to see the offer. If you'd like to take up the offer, simply click on it and fill in your contact information - we'll get back to you to take all your details and process everything for you.

Visit www.neschristmasoffers.co.uk/day1 to see our first offer.

Each offer is only valid for one day, so you need to book today's offer as soon as you can. We'll be featuring offers for all energy assessors and Home Inspectors, so check back tomorrow after 8am to see what else will appear.

Every time you book an offer you will be entered into a draw to win credit in your NES one account. First prize is £100, second prize is £50, and third prize is £30. The more times you book an offer, the greater your chance of winning a prize.

We hope you enjoy the offers!

We recently ran two one-day conferences in Birmingham and Croydon. Both days proved to be hugely popular, with delegates attending seminars, plenary sessions and technical workshops.

Thanks to all the delegates and presenters for making this month's conference dates so successful.

For a short video of the day, and to read slides from the various presenters, head over to the conference page.

The NHER is very pleased to announce a change to the pricing structure for registering Non Domestic Energy Performance Certificates.

This will now be £15 for Level 3 Non Domestic EPC and £20 for Level 4 and On Construction Non Domestic EPCs. These fees exclude the Landmark fee of £5.36 however they do include both Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance.

These new fees represent significant savings on our previous fees, up to 50% in many instances.

Our work to get the non domestic market working properly is ongoing. We are continuing to publicise the lack of compliance and are contacting letting agents who are listing buildings without EPCs. We also strongly believe in the importance of the asset ratings as a means of helping improve building standards, reduce total energy costs and carbon emissions. Greater compliance rate will undoubtedly contribute towards to all of these aims.

Read more about getting accredited with the NHER here.

Three-quarters of all commercial properties for sale or rent are failing to comply with energy regulations, according to a new initiative launched by National Energy Services and Building.co.uk.

The monthly EPC Index monitors how many commercial builds being marketed have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The first EPC Index stands at 25, meaning that only 25% of commercial properties were legal and compliant in October, while the other 75% did not have an EPC lodged on the government's official registry.

The index has been introduced to follow up on NES' research in June 2009 (full report here), which showed that more than 80% of commercial property agents were unable to supply a mandatory EPC for the offices or shops they were marketing.

Brian Scannell, managing director of NES, said: "We hope to see the EPC Index rise month on month. There is no reason why the commercial property sector should continue to believe it's okay to ignore the requirement for EPCs while the housing sector takes all the scrutiny and flack on energy efficiency.

"The display of the EPC rating should be mandatory on all commercial building agents' particulars. This is already in place for the sale of homes and it brings real transparency and helps consumers."

The sample for October included 525 commercial buildings throughout Norfolk, Devon, Cornwall, Northamptonshire and the West Midlands. All properties are identifiable and have been on the market in the past 30 days.

NES will publish the results each month in association with Building and here on the NHER news page.

The price of Existing Build Dwelling EPC lodgement fees in Scotland will be changing from £5.00 to £2.50 per report for all members of the NHER Accreditation Scheme for Energy Assessments in Scotland.

The reduced rate applies to anyone who is a member of the Scheme before 31st January 2010.

The reduced rate will be for a fixed period and will run through until 31st January 2011 - at which point the fee will revert to the prevailing NHER market rate (currently £5.00).

Read more information on Energy Assessment in Scotland.

Grant Shapps, Shadow Minister for Housing, recently asked the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many accredited assessors there are in each region.

Here is Minister of State for Local Government John Healey's response:

The total number of accredited energy assessors recorded, in the National Energy Performance Certificate Register, for each region up to and including 10 October 2009 is as follows:

Registered non-domestic assessors by Government Office Region (GOR), 9 October 2009

• Unmatched 176
• North West euro region (all areas) 474
• Scotland euro region (all areas) 52
• South West euro region (all areas) 304
• Eastern euro region (all areas) 222
• London euro region (all areas) 373
• East Midlands euro region (all areas) 216
• West Midlands euro region (all areas) 546
• North East euro region (all areas) 112
• Wales euro region (all areas) 152
• South East euro region (all areas) 608
• Yorkshire and the Humber euro region (all areas) 381

Total 3,616

Registered domestic assessors by GOR 9 October 2009

• Unmatched 421
• North West euro region (all areas) 1456
• Scotland euro region (all areas) 238
• South West euro region (all areas) 1098
• Eastern euro region (all areas) 979
• London euro region (all areas) 1,118
• East Midlands euro region (all areas) 733
• West Midlands euro region (all areas) 2,380
• North East euro region (all areas) 407
• Wales euro region (all areas) 663
• South East euro region (all areas) 1648
• Yorkshire and the Humber euro region (all areas) 867

Total 12,008

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Grand total 15,624

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Note: Unmatched totals are where the assessor postcode could not be matched to a Government Office Region (GOR) using data mapping.

We are pleased to annouce that our fees for the registration of a DEC, a DEC and AR or AR only will be reduced to £10 (+ £5.36 Landmark fee) + VAT.

This represents a £10 reduction over the previous fee. Any DEC issued by our members will be charged at this rate and you do not need to do anything - NES one will be automatically updated.

This price reduction has come about through a review of our operating costs and a belief that the previous prices were excessive, particularly now that we are in the second year.

We also strongly believe in the importance of operational ratings as a means of helping building users reduce their energy costs and carbon emissions.

We hope that this price reduction will help in a small way to increase the uptake of DECs in the private sector.

Earlier this month, members of our team visited Hockerton Housing Project (HHP), the UK's first earth sheltered, sustainable housing development.

HHP is located on the outskirts of the village of Hockerton near Southwell, Nottinghamshire.

Project members live a holistic way of life in harmony with the environment, in which all ecological impacts have been considered and accounted for. The residents of the five houses generate their own clean energy, harvest their own water and recycle waste materials causing minimal pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.

The houses are amongst the most energy efficient, purpose built dwellings in Europe, using only a tenth of the energy used in the average UK home. They have no central heating systems, instead relying on the high thermal mass construction to store the heat generated by the passive solar gain and release it over a long period of time.

A key member of the team at HHP is Rob Cartwright, who previously worked as a Technical Consultant here at NES in Milton Keynes. Several NES staff spent a day at HHP learning more about the technologies employed. You can see photos from the day on our Flickr account.

For more information about HHP and the project's aims, visit the HHP website. You can read a case study with extra information here.

HHP also runs a consultancy service, advising clients on energy efficient new build and retrofit projects as well as providing Code for Sustainable Homes and SAP assessment and consultancy services. They have also recently been awarded a design phase contract in the nationwide Retrofit for the Future competition funded by the Technology Strategy Board to devise innovate plans for low carbon refits of existing social housing to meet UK government target reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy use - for more information on this, read this press release.

The NHER is making available a free software tool that lets users 'preview' the impact of the forthcoming changes to SAP and Part L of the Building Regulations.

SAP and Part L of the Building Regulations are both set to change in 2010. The NHER has created SAP 2009 Preview - free software that allows you to see the effects of the proposed changes.

NHER Plan Assessor will be updated with these changes when they are confirmed. In the meantime, this is your chance to prepare with this new free design tool.

NHER SAP 2009 Preview is easy to use. It's based on NHER Plan Assessor; there aren't any complicated look-up tables, and it is more robust than other SAP 2009 software. Plan Assessor users can import files and start using it straightaway.

NHER SAP 2009 Preview was originally designed for consultation purposes and made available only to NHER-registered On Construction Domestic Energy Assessors, but now we're making it available to everyone.

Click here to download the software.

Whether you're new to the industry or an experienced energy assessor, the NHER and SAVA schemes offer the most professional and comprehensive support and services available.

Simply tell us a few details about yourself below, and you can try out our scheme for 2 weeks - completely free.

During your free trial, you will receive:

• Full access to our dedicated Technical Support team (by telephone, email and support website) to answer any queries you have about conventions or systems
• An account with our powerful NES one system to give you hands-on experience of our report writing software
• A free online training course to get the most out of software
• 1 free online CPD course, and the ability to book further courses at the discounted member's rate
• A free copy of one of our informative Technical Bulletins - specially designed to provide members updated with all the latest information on conventions, systems and software

We don't ask for any payment information and there is no obligation to join the scheme permanently at the end of the trial.

Click here for your trial membership.

National Energy Services, operators of the NHER and SAVA schemes, has completed its response to the EPBD recast consultation.

You can read the consultation response by clicking here.

This year we have decided to run two one-day conferences for our members. We have two identical conferences in different locations to help reduce travelling time and costs:

• Tuesday 10th November in Croydon
• Thursday 12th November in Birmingham

The prices are as follows:

• Member price: £95+VAT
• Non-member price: £150+VAT

Extend your professional knowledge

This year we have a varied and stimulating range of workshops, including:

• Member Q and A with NES management over breakfast
• Learn about the latest renewable technologies
• Discover Geoff Ramm's marketing techniques, aimed solely at energy assessors
• The restoration of a Victorian house to Passivhaus level
• The latest policy developments and new opportunities for energy assessors
• And much more...

Throughout the day you can meet our Technical Support, Compliance and Training teams and they will be able to help you with enquiries and queries.

By attending, you will also gain CPD credit and have a fantastic opportunity to network with other energy assessors and Home Inspectors.

You can book your place at the conference today. Simply click here for more information and a link to book your place online.

SAVA, the NHER's sister organisation, runs a Certification Scheme for Home Inspectors. Members of the scheme have the opportunity to offer the Home Condition Survey (HCS), a condition survey similar to the Home Condition Report, but aimed at buyers.

We recently released two new items of literature that Home Inspectors can use when trying to win new HCS business and today we launched the 'new look' HCS.

As of today, this new product has a complete new look including red, amber and green alerts for the different condition ratings on the summary page.

SAVA is also running a series of condition Masterclasses. The next dates are:

• 9th September
• 15th September
• 8th October

There are still a few places left. Visit the SAVA Certification Scheme website for more information.

In a change to previously advertised information, we will be running two one-day conferences in November:

• Tuesday 10th November in Croydon
• Thursday 12th November in Birmingham

We will shortly release much more information about the content of the conferences, including a full programme, prices and booking details.

Everyone needs to keep their skills up to date. There are some tricky properties out there, ready to trip up the unsuspecting DEA, and we want our members to be confident when undertaking a domestic energy assessment.

Feedback received from site audits is that many members welcome having someone to talk to, but in this very competitive market, are understandably nervous about consulting with other DEAs.

We will be running a series of one day RDSAP Masterclasses. The day will focus on inspection techniques, identifying and applying the conventions and you will carry out a real inspection on a real property.

In the afternoon you will produce the report and there will be a discussion on all aspects of the conventions. You can raise issues without any commercial worries!

This course will qualify for CPD. There is no assessment so you will have to evaluate your own reasons for doing this masterclass and then afterward attach a value to that learning on your Personal Development Plan. (As a guide we would expect you to allocate 5 hours to a masterclass such as this.)

The course is £75+VAT for NHER Accreditation Scheme members. The courses run in Milton Keynes on:

• 25 September
• 15 October
• 19 November

Book your place here.

Everyone needs to keep their skills up to date. There are some tricky properties out there, ready to trip up the unsuspecting DEA, and we want our members to be confident when undertaking a domestic energy assessment.

Feedback received from site audits is that many members welcome having someone to talk to, but in this very competitive market, are understandably nervous about consulting with other DEAs.

We will be running a series of one day RDSAP Masterclasses. The day will focus on inspection techniques, identifying and applying the conventions and you will carry out a real inspection on a real property.

In the afternoon you will produce the report and there will be a discussion on all aspects of the conventions. You can raise issues without any commercial worries!

This course will qualify for CPD. There is no assessment so you will have to evaluate your own reasons for doing this masterclass and then afterward attach a value to that learning on your Personal Development Plan. (As a guide we would expect you to allocate 5 hours to a masterclass such as this.)

The course is £75+VAT for NHER Accreditation Scheme members. The first course runs on 28th August in Milton Keynes.

Book your place here.

The NHER is running a series of free seminars for On Construction Domestic Energy Assessors to get a thorough understanding of SAP 2009.

The seminars will be a chance for you to use robust 2009 SAP software and understand the implications of the proposed changes to SAP.

The seminar will consist of:

• Summary of the key changes in SAP and Part L1A
• Hands on session with NHER SAP Preview software
• Discussion of findings
• Meeting the 2010 TER target in sample dwelling types
• SAP 2009 Consultation response

5 dates to suit your schedule

The seminars will run in August and September, and take place at the National Energy Centre in Milton Keynes. Dates are as follows:

• Monday 17 August (EVENT FULL)
• Wednesday 26 August (EVENT FULL)
• Tuesday 1 September (PM EVENT FULL)
• Monday 7 September
• Tuesday 8 September

Small groups to maximise your time

For each day there will be one seminar in the morning and another in the afternoon. Each seminar will be limited to 15 people, as the bulk of the time will be spent using the SAP 2009 software.

Free for NHER members - but filling up fast

There are only a handful of places left. If you wish to attend, please book your place today to avoid disappointment.

The seminars are free to NHER Accredited On Construction DEAs, and delegates will be sent a free copy of the software prior to the event. NHER members book your place here.

If you are not a member of the NHER Accreditation Scheme you can attend for £75+VAT, and you will be able to take away a free copy of the software. Book your place here.

SAVA, the NHER's sister organisation, runs a Certification Scheme for Home Inspectors. Members of the scheme have the opportunity to offer the Home Condition Survey (HCS), a condition survey similar to the Home Condition Report, to buyers.

As part of our efforts to promote our members and the services they offer, we have recently released two new items of literature that Home Inspectors can use when trying to win new business.

The first is intended to be used to explain the HCS to conveyancing solicitors, and to persuade them to recommend the service to their customers.

The second is aimed at the home owner, and explains why they should commission an HCS over any other survey.

The literature has proved to be extremely popular, and has already resulted in more HCS being lodged by our members.

You can see images of the literature here.

If you're a qualified Home Inspector with another scheme, you can read more about the SAVA Certification Scheme.

Got any ideas for how we can help you and your business to grow? We'd be delighted to hear.

Below is a new article by Dyfrig Hughes of NHER that:

• Summarises in one page the key changes proposed for Part L1A of the Building Regulations from October 2010
• Describes each of the key changes in a little more depth
• Indicates where to look within the 800 pages or so of the documents for further information

To access the Part L article, click here.

It is a follow-on to an earlier paper '10 things in SAP 2009 that may affect you' written by Dyfrig for 'Building' magazine.

To access the SAP 2009 article, click here.

In a mystery shopping exercise to check on compliance with European and UK law relating to the energy efficiency of buildings in the commercial property sector, NHER discovered that more than 80% of agents it spoke to were unable to provide the mandatory Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the offices or shops they were marketing for sale or rent. These certificates are a critical part of the Government's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and energy bills for businesses.

88 out of 108 agents contacted around the country (81%) failed to provide an EPC. Almost half of these agents (47%, or 41 agents) said they believed the certificate was not necessary, or just could not give an explanation about why no EPC was available.

Download the full report here.

Download the news release here.

We are delighted to have arranged an exclusive one-day seminar for our members with notable sales and marketing experts Richard Rawlings and Geoff Ramm.

Both Richard and Geoff have many years' experience in providing individuals, small businesses and established organisations with tips and advice on how best to market themselves.

Our morning will consist of a more general session about low-cost tips for marketing your business - 'Market your business for under £1'.

Here you can expect to pick up a range of quick tips based on what is proven to have worked for other organisations - and what to avoid!

The afternoon will focus on what property agents want in the current climate, and how to market your business in the domestic and commercial sectors.

We have been able to subsidise the cost of this seminar for our members, and we can offer it to you for only £95+VAT - representing a huge discount on the going rate for two such expert speakers.

The seminar takes place at the National Energy Centre in Milton Keynes on 1st July. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Look out for an email from us with a link to the online booking system.

Remember, this offer is for NHER and SAVA members only - and places are strictly first come, first served.

National Energy Services has responded to the Community Energy Saving Programme by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The Government is consulting on proposals for the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). The broad policy proposals for the design of the programme include:

• placing an obligation on energy suppliers and electricity generators to meet a CO2 reduction target by providing energy efficiency measures to domestic consumers
• Requiring that this obligation is met by providing these measures to households in areas with high levels of low incomes
• To offer these measures as a package to homes, to deliver a 'whole house approach' - so that homes can receive all the major energy efficiency measures they need, which could also include district heating schemes
• Specifying that only certain measures are eligible to count towards the CO2 targets, focusing on those measures which can make a substantial difference to a household emissions and fuel bills.

You can read NES' response here.

National Energy Services has responded to the Heat and Energy Saving Strategy Consultation, jointly published by The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

The Government's strategy for saving energy and decarbonising our heating, now and in the future, has four main objectives:

• To help more people in these difficult economic times and over the long term to reduce their energy bills by using less energy
• To reduce the UK's emissions and increase our use of renewable energy in line with the demands of our carbon budgets, our renewables target and our ultimate target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050
• To help us to maintain secure, diverse energy supplies, and
• To take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by the shift to a low carbon economy in the UK and in the rest of the world, helping us during the current economic downturn and over the long term.

You can read NES' response here.

We've launched a new e-newsletter, covering training, CPD and events for the energy assessor industry. The email is automatically sent to NHER and SAVA members, but members of other schemes can also sign up

Click here to find out more.

We are pleased to announce that the 2009 NHER/SAVA conference will take place on 14/15 October at the Jurys Inn Hotel in Birmingham.

More details will follow here in the weeks and months to come, including a full conference programme and booking information.

NHER Plan Assessor is the most powerful software tool to analyse the energy efficiency of new and existing homes - and you can now download it completely free.

Visit www.nher.co.uk/planassessor to download it for a free 60-day trial.

You can also read more about Plan Assessor and its capabilities here.

National Energy Services and the National Home Energy Rating (NHER) Scheme calls for Government to ensure energy assessors play a key role in making this a reality.

The Government has today unveiled plans to reduce household carbon emissions to almost zero by the year 2050 through a combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

The Heat and Energy Saving Strategy has been published for consultation today by DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) and CLG (Communities and Local Government), and includes proposals for:

• Rolling out low-cost home energy audits, developing a qualification for energy advisers, and establishing an accreditation scheme for installers.
• Finance packages to install energy efficiency measures and low-carbon heat and power sources would be offered to householders. Repayment from part of the savings on energy bills would be linked to the property, rather than residents.
• Combined with guaranteed cash payments by way of a Renewable Heat Incentive and a Feed-in Tariff for small scale electricity generation, the payback for homeowners who switch to low-carbon technologies and save energy would start from day one.
• Options for improving the delivery of energy efficiency advice and measures, including establishing a central coordinating body funded by energy companies and working to Government-set targets.

Commenting on today's announcements, deputy managing director Austin Baggett said:

"We already have a great vehicle on which to deliver these plans - the Energy Performance Certificate. We also have a highly trained work force of qualified and accredited energy assessors. It is encouraging that Government has recognised the importance of both of these in their proposals.

"However, we now need to quickly develop a far more detailed plan for how energy advice is to be provided and crucially how it is to be funded. Energy assessors will need to receive funding to pay for any top up training they need and funding will also be required to subsidise the cost of providing the energy advice. We also need fiscal incentives to persuade householders to take action on the advice that they receive - we cannot simply rely on people 'to do the right thing'. Government should be bold and use differential rates on both stamp duty and council tax to encourage householders to act."

Click on the link below to go to the DECC website and see the Consultation on Heat and Energy Saving Strategy:

http://www.decc.gov.uk/consultations/index.htm

NB: Two other consultation documents were also published today: The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) consultation and the Community Energy Savings Programme (CESP) consultation.

Following on from the recent launch of our Low Carbon Refurbishment course, The NHER has launched a new Low Carbon Design course.

This is a one-day interactive seminar for On Construction DEAs and SAP/Plan Assessors who are looking to gain more skills and improve the energy efficiency of the UK's existing homes.

Why should I attend this course?

A low carbon economy

Where is the quest for a low carbon economy leading us? How do you go about designing a low carbon home from scratch? This course will show you how.

Our Plan Assessor software is a valuable tool allowing you to model all the different energy improvement scenarios to meet a low carbon specification.

A lively and interactive day

During the course delegates will carry out exercises looking at the cost of the improvement vs. the carbon saving. It will make you into a first-class energy assessor and give you a deep understanding of the technicalities and the ability to use software to carry out very technical scenarios.

Gain new business skills

At the end of the course, delegates will have gained experience that should help them advise prospective clients on what the low carbon future has in store in terms of building design, and be able to advise on achieving low carbon in the most cost-effective manner.

How is the day structured?

The day consists of presentations followed by an interactive workshop using NHER Plan Assessor software.

Informative presentations

This interactive course starts with a review of the emerging energy standards for low carbon housing, by looking at the forthcoming editions of the Building Regulations in 2010 and 2013 and the Code for Sustainable Homes.

These presentations will cover the principles of low-carbon design, a look at low carbon building fabric solutions, how to deliver low carbon heating, hot water and ventilation and the use of renewable technologies.

Delegates will then go on to look at the principles of low carbon design - looking at best practice standards such as the AECB Carbon Lite standard and Passiv Haus.

Low carbon at low cost?

In this interactive workshop, candidates have the opportunity to use the NHER's Plan Assessor software to improve a typical dwelling to meet a low carbon specification. Candidates will also take part in a task to design a low carbon home at the lowest possible cost.

Book your place today

The course costs £250+VAT for NHER/SAVA members and £300+VAT for non-members.

• 20th March
• 25th June

Click below to book your place.

http://www.nher.co.uk/pages/training/low_carbon_training.php#design

NHER and SAVA have produced a number of fact sheets to help our existing dwelling members provide a value added product to their customers.

Originally designed as appendices for the Home Condition Survey, these fact sheets are designed to be read by the homeowner and provide useful information about a variety of subjects. We currently have fact sheets on:

• EPCs explained An easy-to-understand guide to why the domestic EPC is required, how it is produced, what the results mean and the effect of the recommendations.
• Sustainable energy Biomass, ground source heat pumps, solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, wind energy conversion systems, grants and suppliers.
• Asbestos in the home What is it, where it is found, the dangers, legal requirements and insurance.
• Cavity walls Advantages, disadvantage and causes of deterioration.
• Electricity in the home Part P of the Building Regs, who is allowed to carry out work, what to expect, electrical systems and testing.
• Thatched roof coverings Advantages, disadvantages, types of thatch, inspections, maintenance, deterioration, fire and insurance.

Domestic Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors can download these facts sheets by logging into NES one and navigating to Useful Documents.

We are also producing Information Sheets for our members. These will cover a variety of subjects including CPD requirements and how to meet them, and our new Instruction Manager service.

More fact sheets and information sheets are currently being prepared. If there is an area you think deserves attention, let us know by emailing enquiry@nesltd.co.uk.

The NHER is hosting a one-day interactive seminar for ambitious Domestic Energy Assessors and On Construction DEAs who are looking to gain more skills and improve the energy efficiency of the UK's existing homes.

Go beyond the EPC

Would you like the ability to go beyond the recommendations of the EPC? How do you carry out refurbishment of an existing property to achieve a low carbon home? This course will show you how.

Our Plan Assessor software is a valuable tool allowing you to model all the different energy improvement scenarios. Delegates will go far beyond the limitations of the EPC to look at different insulation materials, how to improve floors, and consider the use of renewable technologies.

A lively and interactive day

During the course delegates will carry out exercises looking at the cost of the improvement vs. the carbon saving. It will make you into a first-class energy assessor and give you a deep understanding of the technicalities and the ability to use software to carry out very technical scenarios.

Gain new business skills

By gaining these skills, you will have the ability to work with architects and building professionals carrying out refurbishment and looking for 'greener' properties.

There are a growing number of people looking to improve the energy efficiency of their home, and this type of work is likely to command a higher fee. You might consider offering a new service to a local builder who is carrying out home improvement work.

How is the day structured?

The day consists of presentations followed by two interactive workshops using NHER Plan Assessor software.

Informative presentations

You will first consider the critical challenge of improving the UK's existing housing stock to meet national carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets, and the scale of the emissions reductions that are required.

These presentations will cover the principles of low-carbon refurbishment, and the available specification options - including the building fabric, building services and renewable energy systems.

Housing Improvement Workshop

Delegates will investigate appropriate improvement specifications for a range of typical dwellings.

Cost and Carbon Savings Workshop

Delegates will evaluate a large number of improvement options for a typical dwelling in terms of capital costs and carbon dioxide emissions savings.

Book your place today

The course costs £250+VAT for NHER/SAVA members and £300+VAT for non-members. We are running two upcoming courses:

• 4th March
• 25th May

Click here to book your place.

UPDATE: Incorrect link fixed.

If you work for a social housing provider, you'll need to stay up to date with all the latest news and information about your energy efficiency obligations.

Click here to find out more.

The NHER has added two new courses to our list of CPD courses for energy professionals, and we are offering them as a special packaged offer for a short period.

Until the end of February, you can access 'Understanding VAT' and 'Small Businesses' for £25+VAT if you are an NHER/SAVA member, and £35+VAT for all other delegates. Together, the courses contribute 3 hours towards your CPD requirements.

After taking the courses, you will:

• Understand what VAT is
• Understand how to seek VAT registration
• Understand the different VAT schemes
• Know how to claim VAT back
• Understand the different ways to go into business on your own
• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of setting up a small business
• Understand how to set up a small business

Once you have booked the courses you can take them at any time, from wherever you like.

On the CPD for Energy Professionals page you can also get vital information on how to devise and complete a Personal Development Plan.

Read more about CPD for Energy Professionals.

As part of our obligations to CLG we provide an Annual Report on our activities. Our first report was produced on 1st December 2008 and is now available to read.

Download the Annual Report.

The NHER recently ran the first DEA members seminar and social housing forum of 2009.

The DEA seminars - exclusively for NHER members - are a fantastic opportunity for you to find out what's new from the NHER, to pick up some tips on winning more EPC business and how to work more effectively. Topics covered included:

• Running a successful EPC business DEA's stories about how they have forged successful careers providing EPC services. What are their secrets?
• Tips on working with Social Housing Providers - gain an insight into their business and what they are looking for from a DEA
• Helping you work smarter - an overview of the technology options available to increase efficiency, and how to use digital devices to deliver other services and add value to your business
• Keeping your knowledge in front of the competition - new fact sheets available to NHER DEA members
• NHER's new membership directory - a tour of how this will benefit DEAs
• Instruction Manager - a new free service available on NES one. Learn how this can be used to improve the workflow from your clients

If you're an NHER DEA and you missed the seminar, you still have 4 further chances:

• 4 February: Ripon Racecourse, Ripon, North Yorkshire
• 11 February: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool
• 24 February: Royal Wells Hotel, Royal Tunbridge Wells
• 10 March: Cadbury House, Bristol

The seminars run in the morning and afternoon, with refreshments provided.

Visit http://www.ismartbook.com/sava/frontEnd/homepage.csp to book your FREE place.

The Social Housing Forums, whilst hosted by the NHER, are intended to give Social Housing providers the opportunity to get together and share ideas with likeminded people on how they will be meeting their statutory obligations to produce Energy Performance Certificates. Topics include:

• EPC production Producing EPCs on a reactive basis when properties become void, versus the pro-active approach of getting them produced up front
• Using technology How to collect and store RDSAP data
• Don't lose the data! How to make sure you don't lose the valuable data you've collected, and what other uses might it have
• What next for EPCs The future of the EPC and the EPBD

If you missed the forum, you still have 4 further chances:

• 5 February: Ripon Racecourse, Ripon, North Yorkshire
• 12 February: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool
• 25 February: Royal Wells Hotel, Royal Tunbridge Wells
• 11 March: Cadbury House, Bristol

Each Social Housing Forum will begin at 10am and finish at 1pm. The forums are free to attend and tea and coffee will be provided.

Visit http://www.ismartbook.com/sava/frontEnd/homepage.csp to book your FREE place.

Many common projects are subject to the guidance of Part L1B of the Building Regulations. These include the extension, alteration, or renovation of existing dwellings, and 'change of use' of other types of buildings into dwellings.

OCDEAs and NHER Assessors are well equipped to support such projects, to identify specification options and to demonstrate how they comply with the requirements - but the process can be complex.

The NHER has devised a short one-day training course for OCDEAs and NHER Plan Assessors that will give practical guidance on how to demonstrate compliance with Part L1B. The course explains the requirements in detail, covers straightforward alterations and extensions, and then goes on to deal with complex situations, such as combinations of extension and renovation, over-glazed extensions and cases where compliance has to be demonstrated by 'trading off' carbon dioxide emissions using SAP 2005.

The course includes case studies of real projects and advice about how to approach complex projects, making best use of NHER Plan Assessor software. It runs from 10am to 4pm, and includes lunch.

You will understand:

• The requirements of the Building Regulations, Part L1B (2006)
• How to assess and demonstrate the compliance of alteration and renovation projects
• How to assess and demonstrate the compliance of extension projects
• When it is appropriate to use SAP assessments to demonstrate compliance by 'trading off'
• The complexities of listed buildings and how to overcome them
• How to present Part L1B compliance assessments to Building Control

We are running courses in December and into the new year. Visit our Part L1B page for more information, dates and a booking form.

The NHER has recently launched a new one-day course to make sure all energy assessors and Home Inspectors understand what Asbestos is, where is might be found, what the risks are and what your duties might be.

It is essential for anyone who occupies, manages or inspects buildings.

The Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance L143 - HSE documentation relating to asbestos - states that awareness training is compulsory for all workers who may undertake tasks in any building built before 2000.

So make sure that you are asbestos aware. We are running courses in December anmd January. Visit the Asbestos Awareness page for more information.

All the latest from Octobers highly successful conference

The National Energy Services Conference kicks off tomorrow with an exciting programme of events. Some highlights and speakers from the first day include:

• Mike Ockenden on the impact of EPCs on UK housing and the supply chain
• Brenda Boardman on greening the UK's housing stock
• Nigel Farren on promoting energy improvements
• Alan Milstein on business opportunities for Home Inspectors
• Maria Wardrobe on Fuel Poverty targets for 2010
• Peter Warm on Passiv Haus as a substitute for the Code for Sustainable Homes

The second day promises to be just as entertaining and informative with sessions on opportunities for DEAs, methods for assessing housing stocks, operational ratings, and zero carbon homes.

We're offering lots of opportunities for delegates to meet other assessors and surveyors at our exhibition and drinks reception, and delegates will also see the presentation of the Energy Assessor Community Grant, worth GBP 2,500.

We hope to see you there tomorrow!

National Energy Services (NES) is launching an Energy Assessor Community Grant worth GBP2,500 to help support energy assessor and home inspector networking groups.

Applications are being sought from all local or national voluntary groups in England and Wales who could use the cash to help with marketing, networking, welfare or other initiatives to benefit energy assessors (domestic or commercial) or home inspectors.

The winner of the Grant will be announced on the first day of the NES Annual Conference which is taking place at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham on 22-23 October 2008.

Brian Scannell, Managing Director of NES, said:

We know that it is an incredibly tough market for many energy assessors, particularly new entrants who may be self-employed for the first time in their lives. Professional networking, online discussion forums and local support groups are a vital lifeline to share knowledge and experiences, swap notes and get advice and moral support. NES is committed to supporting our members, and we want to use this grant to help them build a thriving and high quality business environment.

Applying for the Energy Assessor Community Grant is a short and easy process via an application form which can be downloaded here.

The deadline for all entries is Monday 13 October. Following a judging process by a panel of NES and independent experts, GBP2,500 will be given to the group that makes the most compelling case for support.

• Share your knowledge and experience with thought leaders, industry experts and technical specialists
• Explore and contribute to the increasingly connected world of energy and condition ratings
• Make yourself heard: tell us how you think the industry can and should develop and help drive forward the changes
• Learn from others: from energy assessors and Home Inspectors, to the NHER and SAVA teams.

Attend Policy, Market and Technology Seminars based around four key areas:

• Energy and Beyond: The opportunities for Domestic Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors in the Marketed Sales sector
• Working with Social Landlords to tackle fuel poverty: New urgency and business for Domestic Energy Assessors
• The Age of Accountability: Risks and rewards in the new market for Commercial Energy Assessors and Public Building Energy Assessors
• Designing for a Zero-Carbon Future: Essential knowledge for the On Construction Domestic Energy Assessor

You are encouraged to mix and match your seminars between these areas - it's your conference, and you can build it the way you like.

The conference will also include many networking opportunities for like-minded Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors, as well as a drinks reception in Birmingham on the night of Wednesday 22 October.

For more information, visit the NES website.

In the meantime, should you have any conference-related queries, please either email training@nesltd.co.uk or call 01908 442111.

• Share your knowledge and experience with thought leaders, industry experts and technical specialists
• Explore and contribute to the increasingly connected world of energy and condition ratings
• Make yourself heard: tell us how you think the industry can and should develop and help drive forward the changes
• Learn from others: from energy assessors and Home Inspectors, to the NHER and SAVA teams.

Attend Policy, Market and Technology Seminars based around four key areas:

• Energy and Beyond: The opportunities for Domestic Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors in the Marketed Sales sector
• Working with Social Landlords to tackle fuel poverty: New urgency and business for Domestic Energy Assessors
• The Age of Accountability: Risks and rewards in the new market for Commercial Energy Assessors and Public Building Energy Assessors
• Designing for a Zero-Carbon Future: Essential knowledge for the On Construction Domestic Energy Assessor

You are encouraged to mix and match your seminars between these areas - it's your conference, and you can build it the way you like.

The conference will also include many networking opportunities for like-minded Energy Assessors and Home Inspectors, as well as a drinks reception in Birmingham on the night of Wednesday 22 October.

For more information, visit the NES website.

In the meantime, should you have any conference-related queries, please either email training@nesltd.co.uk or call 01908 442111.

Following a successful pilot we are now able to extend the Home Condition Survey (HCS) to all registered Home Inspectors through our SAVA Certification Scheme for Home Inspectors.

The SAVA HCS has been designed for buyers but closely follows the same inspection and reporting principles as the Home Condition Report. The biggest differences are that it does not contain an energy report (most properties should already have an EPC as part of the HIP) and there are revised terms of engagement. Although the SAVA HCS is a separate scheme in its own right, having a different Code of Practice and Terms of Engagement, membership is exclusive to Members of the SAVA Certification Scheme.

The main benefits of the HCS for homeowners are:

• A jargon free and easy to understand inspection and report with the 1, 2, 3 condition ratings
• The ability to include photographs
• The surveyors are part of a Quality Assurance monitoring scheme which also provides an escalation process for complaints
• A fast turnaround time

The main benefits for the Home Inspector joining the HCS Scheme are:

• The opportunity to use the Home Inspector Qualification
• That since the HCS is very similar to the HCR and no additional training is required o Generation of another income stream
• That the Scheme is separate from any CLG legislation - entirely market driven!

As you may be aware, the pilot ran from November to April with a limited number of participants. We are pleased with the results from the pilot. The report format was well received and surveyors have been able to sell their services.

We also learnt that the HCS will operate in a local market. It will be your responsibility to set the prices for the report and obtain instructions but we will be looking at ways to help you achieve this. There is no quick sales and marketing solution, but we hope over time to build up a meaningful toolkit which will help you win customers. In the meantime, we will continue with the simple product flyer which we produced for the pilot. It has done its job pretty well. Unfortunately neither SAVA nor the SAVA BX will provide a route to market and will not obtain any instructions for you at the present time.

In order to remain part of the HCS Scheme you must maintain full, active Membership of the SAVA Certification Scheme for Home Inspectors. Involvement in the Scheme is purely voluntary and you may withdraw if you so wish at any time.

To find out more, visit www.sava-cs.org.uk.

Today, Housing Minister Caroline Flint issued a Ministerial Statement. To summarise, the current transitional arrangements for first-day marketing and lease information will extend to the end of the year; there is no information on a 'drop dead' date; and Government are looking at ways to boost the consumer-friendly content and increase consumer access to the HIP.

NES supports the extension and welcomes the Government's recognition of the benefits that HIPs and EPCs are already starting to deliver. We also support the need for further changes to make the HIP more useful to consumers, the need for measures to ensure that consumers have access to useful information at the earliest point in the decision-making process.

NES suggests that the inclusion of an HCR would be the most useful information for prospective buyers - if it is appropriate for buyers in Scotland, why not in England and Wales? We also call for a drop-dead date to remove the ongoing uncertainty.

Click here to read the ministerial statement.

Today Brian Scannell, managing director of National Energy Services, wrote a letter to Building magazine:

Your article 'EPCs are here, assessors are not' (11 April, p. 14) incorrectly states that no individuals were ready to produce Energy Performance Certificates for new build homes from 6 April. In fact, our accreditation scheme for energy assessors currently has some 170 On Construction Domestic Energy Assessors (OCDEAs), and between them they have produced and issued 958 Predicted Energy Assessments and 716 On Construction Energy Performance Certificates.

National Energy Services gained approval for our software and began accrediting OCDEAs on 17 March - well in advance of the Government deadline.

The assertion that architects and surveyors can automatically issue EPCs is also incorrect - they can only be produced by an accredited OCDEA.

Brian Scannell, National Energy Services

We will keep you informed of any developments.

The April edition of BRE's monthly newsletter incorrectly stated that the SBSA had entered into a protocol with BRE Scotland for the issue of EPCs for existing buildings in Scotland.

This is in fact incorrect, and SBSA has in place several similar protocols with different organisations - including National Energy Services, operator of the NHER.

For more information, click here.

Earth Hour: March 29, 2008 8-9 PM.

Earth Hour is a global event created to symbolize that each one of us, working together, can make a positive impact on climate change - no matter who we are or where we live. Building off the program that was piloted in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, the event will be replicated in over 12 cities worldwide in 2008.

Earth Hour is intended to bring together a diverse group of community, municipal, corporate and nongovernmental organizations to heighten awareness about climate change and to inspire consumers and businesses to take practical actions to reduce their own carbon footprints.

For more information, click here.

Almost half of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions come from energy we use every day, at home and when we travel. Tell the world you're joining the fight against climate change, get free tips and updates and see the movement grow with our widget. Visit the site to see a widget you can place on your website, blog or profile and email it to friends.

Research in to the HIP area trials has revealed that 58% of buyers would have preferred to have seen the HIP earlier in the sale process, and that half had not been shown the HIP by their estate agent until after an offer had been made.

More positive news was that one third of buyers planned to carry out recommendations in the EPC to improve the energy efficiency of their property.

Brian Scannell, Managing Director of National Energy Services commented:

"We welcome the strong public interest in the contents of the HIP - especially the Energy Performance Certificate. This latest research highlights the enormous impact the EPC can have in helping homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

However, the greatest benefits will be delivered only when all buyers see the HIP as soon as possible in the homebuying process, and when that HIP includes a Home Condition Report. The HCR is a vital tool in reducing the wastage and number of failed transactions in the property market."

You can read the Ipsos MORI report by clicking here.

You can read the CLG press release by clicking here.

You can read the AHIPP press release by clicking here.

We recently revised our customer feedback survey - you may see it when you visit www.nher.co.uk. Please spend just 30 seconds answering the questions, all feedback is greatly appreciated and will help us improve our service to you.

Please note that the survey relates to the service you receive from NHER and SAVA - whether you are a candidate, member or a first time visitor. This means the survey does not relate to the SAVA Business Exchange, which is run as a separate company.

You can also complete the survey by clicking here.

From 1 December 2008 it is planned that properties for sale will have to be marketed with information, now branded the 'Home Report'.

Click here to read more.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive requires EPCs and Display Energy Certificates to be provided for all buildings in specific circumstances. It must be implemented in full by January 2009.

An EPC must be provided each time a commercial building is constructed, sold or let. The EPC will identify the building's Asset Rating - its intrinsic or 'built-in' energy efficiency standard - and is valid for up to 10 years. EPCs will be required for all commercial buildings from small high street shops and offices to large-scale warehouses and out of town retail centres.

The NHER has recently launched training modules for individuals wishing to become Commercial Energy Assessors.

Click here to read more about the NHER's training and to book your place on a free briefing event about the legislation and requirements.

Brenda Boardman and the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University have identified the policies needed to deliver an 80 per cent cut in carbon emissions from UK homes by 2050 in this new report, 'Home Truths'.

These cuts are achievable but will require a quantum leap in commitment from Government and a radical new approach.

Click here to read the full report or executive summary.

We recently received a document from CLG, clarifying HIP and EPC requirements for scenarios where the Regulations are unclear. This was in response to a number of queries posed by NES, received initially through the Accreditation Scheme.

Click here to read the document.

Following the successful 2007 NHER/SAVA conference, Rise of the Ratings, we are pleased to make available the content of the plenary speakers.

Click here to visit the conference page and download the presentations.

A new petition has been created to exert pressure on politicians to extend HIPs to all properties by the end of November. It has been started by National Energy Services which runs the NHER and SAVA schemes, but it is intended to be an industry wide initiative.

If you are a DEA or Home Inspector, whether qualified or in training, please complete the short petition by clicking here.

A new website, epcs4u.com that will put registered Domestic Energy Assessors in direct contact with consumers, launched on the 20th September 2007. epcs4u.com has become the UK's first major portal on Energy Performance Certificates, providing training and career opportunities to the trade, as well as information and advice for consumers.

NHER/SAVA are pleased to confirm more details of Rise of the Ratings, our 2007 conference. The two-day event features a wide range of presentations and in-depth workshops from industry leaders, technical experts and leading Government figures.

The PCC have ruled on the complaint made by National Energy Services regarding a recent Mail on Sunday article.

Today NES issued a press release.

Today NES issued a consultation response.

Today NES issued a press release in response to the announcement by the Secretary of State.

Today NES' RDSAP software gained approval from Government.

Are you a freelance journalist specialising in the energy efficiency or building industry? Can you write engaging copy whilst losing none of the vital technical content?

National Energy Services, parent company of the NHER and SAVA, continues to grow at a tremendous rate. We are seeking to work with an established journalist who can seek out and write stories around the DEA and Home Inspector industry for our new publication.

For an informal discussion, please contact Matthew Culnane on 01908 442164.

You may be aware that a consultation on 'Building A Greener Future: Towards Zero Carbon Development' was released on 13 December along with the Code for Sustainable Homes, a Consultation on Planning and Climate Change and other relevant documents. These are available at http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1503251.

We are keen to consider the points of view of all our members in our response. The NHER is holding an informal workshop to discuss these consultations in Milton Keynes on 19 February. The information and ideas shared will be very important in developing our response. We have a number of contributors already confirmed, so we expect to achieve a good mix of representatives from the different parts of the supply chain required to meet the challenge.

If you would like to attend, please email NHER Energy Consultant Lisa Dores. Spaces are limited but we hope we will be able to accommodate everyone who wishes to come along.