The training to become a Professional Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) encompasses a lot of technical content. This consists of pre-course reading, attending training webinars held by experienced DEA Trainers and concluding with post course assessments.
At the end of the assessments, we receive our Domestic Energy Assessor qualification and accreditation which means we are now able to generate Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). Usually, there is a cost to obtain an EPC certificate which varies from £60-£120. We provide this service for free.
An EPC is an important document, logged on the government website which influences property values and the eligibility for home improvement grants.
Our role as a Domestic Energy Assessor compliments the work we also do as a fuel poverty advisor. We firstly identify who would benefit from having an EPC assessment by completing energy health checks with clients when they contact our service. During our conversation we explore our client’s circumstances in more detail and look into ways we can support them, not only with short term, immediate measures to reduce energy usage, but also with the longer-term measures available to improve the fabric of their home.
After the initial contact with a client, we will arrange a home visit to complete the EPC assessment. This consists of taking precise measurements and photos of rooms, walls, floors, and windows, assessing the amount of insulation and ventilation in the property and looking at heating systems and lighting. This is all collated into a report which determines an EPC rating.
Once the Energy Performance Certificate has been generated after the home visit, we will contact the client again and talk through what improvement measures have been identified, and look into the client’s eligibility for any grants that may cover the costs of the installation of those measures.