What impact will BERs have on owners selling or renting a building?
BERs have been legally required for all new and existing buildings since the 1st of January 2009. It is expected that these requirements will fundamentally increase awareness of energy performance as a factor in the property market. Those with better rated buildings (i.e. more energy efficient) will be motivated to highlight this as a positive selling point, while those with poorer rated buildings may be motivated to upgrade their homes, as set out in the accompanying BER advisory report. It is expected that investments in the energy performance of buildings will benefit both owners and users in terms of improved comfort, lower energy running costs and possibly higher property values. Over time the energy performance of buildings is expected to become a significant positive contributory factor in market behaviour. 22.
