What does RDSAP stand for?
Why is not all of the data included?
What is an energy rating?
Why do energy ratings?
How does this benefit me?
What do energy ratings show?

What does RDSAP stand for?

Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure. This is the survey system introduced by the government to produce Energy Performance Certificates required by a new European directive-the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

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Why is not all of the data included?

Because a full SAP requires many data items that cannot be visible in a survey of an existing house, the different energy rating companies have created different systems to assume the missing data.

RDSAP has been created by reviewing these existing proprietary systems and developing a new system which combines the best and most accurate aspects of each of them.

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What is an energy rating?

Originally Energy Ratings were designed to be a measure of the fuel cost for a property. The target is to give a figure similar to the miles per gallon figure used to show the energy performance of a car. As houses and flats can vary in size, an allowance is made for the size of the property.

The basis of energy ratings are to try and predict the fuel cost for properties, divide the cost by the total floor area of the property and then apply the results onto a scale of 0-100-the higher the number, the better.

In order to allow a level playing field for comparisons between dwellings, domestic energy ratings are calculated on the basis of 'standard occupancy'. This is important because the way we use our homes can decrease or increase its energy use by very large margins.

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Why do energy Ratings?

Energy Ratings are currently used to set standards for building regulations, Housing associations and Local Authority dwellings. From October 1st 2008, all landlords who wish to market their property; will have to provide an Energy Performance Certificate for prospective tenants based on using the RDSAP survey system.

In 2007 and so far in 2008, the RDSAP energy rating became an essential part of the house buying process, providing prospective buyers independent information on the energy efficiency and likely running costs of different dwellings.

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How does this benefit me?

Energy Conservation is clearly a good thing where everyone will benefit. The householder will be better off and so will the environment. The government has promoted improvements in energy efficiency for over 20 years but with not much success. Even now, more than 60% of lofts have less than 100mm of insulation, heating systems are not efficient and poorly controlled and 70% of cavity walls remain un-insulated.

Having an energy rating for your home a prospective buyer is considering may help them make their decision- or after they have bought it, it will provided them with useful information on how they can reduce their fuel costs and make their home more energy efficient.

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What do Energy Ratings show?

Energy ratings and improvements suggested in energy advice reports offer Lower cost measures and Higher cost measures. Some improvements make economic sense and others are only realistic measures when a particular item may need replacing.

Hot water cylinder insulation and loft insulation are obvious improvements as they are cheap to purchase and easily installed, often saving you enough energy to produce real savings in less than a year, these would be lower-cost measures.

On the other hand, double glazing or a new central heating boiler would be improvements that would cost more, this often means that they may not be replaced until there is the need i.e. leaking or rotting window frames or a broken boiler.

The idea is to present the homeowner with enough information to guide them and help them decide on what is the best value for money when making your home more energy efficient. The report will offer an independent comparison of the options-for example, installing new double glazing (usually only adding 2-4 SAP points) with a new boiler and controls (which could easily add in excess of 20 SAP points).

The running cost associated with the ratings will also help the consumer to identify the best ways to target their money to reduce fuel bills.

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