The Energy Report explained
How green is your next property?
Scotland’s homes account for a third of its greenhouse gas emissions. One of the biggest barriers to reducing our carbon footprint is that home owners and tenants often don’t know how energy efficient their home is or what they can do to improve matters.
How green a house is may not be as important as price, location, number of rooms or school catchment area when looking for a new property, however with increasing energy costs and environmental concerns, it is potentially an issue that more home buyers will consider.
The Energy Report is aimed at bridging the information gap and encouraging home buyers to consider the environmental impact of the property. It is a significant step forward on the road to low-carbon footprint homes in Scotland. By being able to compare energy costs between homes and having practical advice on reducing carbon emissions and saving on energy bills, home buyers are better placed to make informed ‘green’ decisions.
Similar to the graphs that you can find on white goods like fridges, ovens or washing machines, the Energy Report will tell you how ‘green’ the house is.
The Energy Report will include:
- A list of recommended measures to improve the energy efficiency of the property.
- An indication of current and potential running costs for lighting, heating and water.
- Contact details for sources of further information for energy efficiency.
For example, a property with a heating boiler that is over 10 years old is likely to have a low energy efficiency rating. The report would include a recommendation to upgrade the boiler to a more energy efficient model and show what impact this change would have on the property’s energy rating.
The Energy Report must be prepared by a surveyor registered with or authorised to practice by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. The Single Survey and Energy Report will be prepared on the basis of a single inspection of the house.