Energy assessors have several professional responsibilities. These responsibilities may differ depending whether the assessment is required for building approval or for development applications, property sales and property rentals.

Responsibilities for building approval energy rating assessments

Energy rating assessments for building approval need to be carried out in accordance with Building Code of Australia Protocol for House Energy Rating Software.

Responsibilities for DA and property sale/rental energy rating assessments

Assessors need to be accredited to make an energy assessment that will be accepted for development applications, property sales and property rentals.

Assessors are expected to have insurance to cover situations that may be legally challenged by a client who believes the assessor has provided incorrect ACT House Energy Rating Scheme (ACTHERS) assessment information. Assessors need to indemnify themselves against any claims for losses or damages of any nature that may occur as a result of any act or omission made in the assessment.

Energy rating assessments for development applications, property sales and property rentals must be carried out in accordance with the ACTHERS Procedures for FirstRate Energy Efficiency Assessments. Each accredited assessor has a copy of these and must use them for every EER Statement produced.

Assessments must meet the EER Statement definition of being current, valid and complete as set out in the ACTHERS ACT Residential Guidelines. This may require a statutory declaration from the owner/vendor.

Assessors are responsible for the integrity of the data collected and for the quality of the energy rating statement produced.

Assessors must personally complete all aspects of the task, including gathering all data onsite about the residence in the following ways:

Obtain a copy of the latest approved building plans (including any extensions or alterations) for each residence, either from our building files or from the owner/vendor.

Include all information that has an impact on the energy value of the EER Statement, including the impact of structures that exist that do not appear on the plan (both unapproved structures and those that do not require approval). Keep these details to verify any future queries.

Create working documents to assess the property if plans do not exist on the building file or are in very poor condition or if there is no plan for a property because it is an ex-government residence. Many original drawings of government houses can be obtained from LBW Architects Pty. Ltd. Phone (02) 6288 3666. These drawings can be reproduced in full size.

Working documents can be a reasonable interpretation of the building (this is not a drafting exercise). Drawings do not need to be to scale, but the noted dimensions must be accurate. Keep these for future reference.

Include the "optimise" function which produces the Improving your Rating sheet as part of the EER Statement. The options shown to improve the energy efficiency performance of the dwelling should be economically feasible and common sense.

On completion of the rating, produce two EER Statements, each stamped, signed and dated on the front page, displaying the number of points as well as the star rating up to 6 stars.

Give one of the EER Statements to the owner/vendor together with any plans of the property that may have been obtained to carry out the assessment. Lodge the second EER Statement with us within 14 days of the first EER Statement being provided to the owner/vendor.