Every BER certificate comes with an advisory report, a personalised document that's arguably more valuable than the rating itself. Here's what it contains, how to read it, and how to use it to plan effective energy upgrades.
What Is the BER Advisory Report?
The BER advisory report is issued alongside your BER certificate and provides a detailed breakdown of your home's energy performance. While the certificate gives you a single letter rating (A to G), the advisory report shows you why you got that rating and what you can do about it.
The certificate gives you the grade. The advisory report tells you exactly why you got it, and what to do about it.
What Does the Advisory Report Contain?
The report includes a detailed breakdown of your home's energy use by category, space heating, water heating, ventilation, lighting, and pumps and fans, showing where the biggest energy losses are. It lists the specific characteristics of your home that affect energy performance, including wall type and insulation, roof insulation depth, floor type, window glazing, heating system type and efficiency, ventilation type, and lighting. It provides recommended upgrades ranked by cost-effectiveness, showing the estimated impact each upgrade would have on your BER rating and energy costs. And it shows your home's carbon dioxide emissions, which is increasingly important for green mortgage applications and environmental awareness.
How to Use Your Advisory Report
The most valuable section is the recommended upgrades list. This ranks potential improvements by their impact on your BER rating, allowing you to prioritise the upgrades that deliver the best return on investment. For example, the report might show that attic insulation would improve your rating from D1 to C3, while also showing that adding external wall insulation would take you further to B2. This helps you decide how far you want to go.
If you're planning to apply for SEAI grants, the advisory report is an excellent starting point for discussions with contractors. For detailed guides on each upgrade type and current SEAI grant amounts, visit HomeEnergyGuide.ie, the advisory report and these guides together give you a complete picture of what's worth doing, as it clearly identifies the gaps in your home's energy performance.
Don't Have an Advisory Report?
If you received a BER certificate but can't find the advisory report, you may be able to download it from the SEAI national register. Your advisory report pairs perfectly with our guide to improving your BER rating and can help you plan a retrofit with One Stop Shop grants (for BER certs published after July 2021). For older certs, contact the original assessor. Or if your BER is approaching expiry, a new assessment will include a fresh advisory report reflecting any changes you've made.
Want a detailed advisory report for your home? Every BER assessment from HomeRating.ie includes a comprehensive advisory report. Call 087 777 4155 to book.