With global warming very much on the agenda and domestic houses being the worst contributors of CO2 emissions, an EU Directive exists to improve the efficiency of every home by applying a rating just like the ones found on fridges. In recent years a house was not bought dependent on how efficient it was, which was the same for fridges before the big colourful stickers appeared. Although the energy performance will still not be the main factor in buying a house, it will be given consideration now that the information is available.

Only a Qualified Home Inspector or DEA can provide an Energy Performance Certificate for a domestic property and has to visit the property to record specific details. From June 2007 every house will require an Energy Performance Certificate prior to being placed on the market.

The efficiency performance of a house is based on the type of main heating, secondary heating, the floor area, type of the walls, type of additional walls, number of extensions, types of conservatories, type and date and percentage of double glazing, type and thickness of insulation - both in the loft and around plumbing items; type of boiler and type of flue. All this data is used to calculate how much heat is put into the property and how much is retained which gives it the efficiency rating.