The Building Regulation Office, BRO, has announced that new regulations on Energy Performance of Buildings have now come into force. Published in L.N. 47 of 2018, they differ from the previous regulations as follows:

1. EPB assessors shall be in possession of a warrant.
2. A revision of the list of buildings exempted from the requirement to comply with the minimum energy performance requirements set out in Technical Document F (Part 1 and Part 2) and from the requirement of an EPC has been made.
3. The requirement of a compliance certificate drawn up by the responsible architect or engineer declaring that a new building (or a building undergoing a major renovation) complies with the minimum energy performance requirements set out in Technical Document F (Part 1 and Part 2) has been introduced.
4. When a building is sold or rented, the owner shall provide the buyer or the tenant with an EPC at the latest before the date of entering the promise of sale or rent agreement.
5. For new buildings, a design-rating EPC shall be available just prior to obtaining a full development permit from the Planning Authority.
6. Designers of new buildings shall ensure that various energy efficiency measures are taken into account (Alternative systems – Article 6).
7. Setting of different deadlines for nZEB:
   – new public buildings by 31 December 2018
   – all other new buildings by 31 December 2020.
8. Buildings having an EPC being advertised for sale or for rent shall include the energy performance rating in the advert in compliance with the ‘Advertising Requirements Guidelines’.
9. A legal framework has been provided for the implementation of inspections of heating and air-conditioning systems.