Domestic Energy Assessor Training & CPD
DEA TRAINING
Background
All domestic properties in England and Wales require a Home Information Pack to be provided to prospective buyers when marketed for sale. A mandatory part of this Home Information Pack is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which provides information on the energy efficiency, heating costs and carbon emissions of the property.
In addition to EPCs for properties for sale, the Government intends also introduce EPCs for all rented properties from Oct 2008.
It is anticipated that annually up to 2 million residential properties will require an EPC and these can only be produced by qualified and accredited Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) or Home Inspectors.
DEA Qualifications and Training
At Elmhurst we have always provided cost effective training for both new entrants and existing practitioners.
New Entrants - we offer direct training and are also working with industry partners to provide new entrant courses leading to the NAEA Level 3 Award in Domestic Energy Assessment. Please click one of the three links below:
Please click above for new dates for training directly with Elmhurst Energy Systems
Bluebox Partnership (Part of the Allied Surveyors group)
Please Click here for Bluebox Exam Revision Details
Please Click here for Property Careers Exam Revision Details
Existing Practitioners - The only organisations that we are currently working with offering a DEA qualification route for existing practitioners are:
Association of Building Engineers
Home Inspector Candidates - Elmhurst continues to offer RdSAP training courses and software access to support candidates completing the Home Inspectors diploma. For information on RDSAP training for Home Inspectors, please telephone our Training Department.
Already Elmhurst RdSAP Trained? - If you are have already successfully completed RdSAP training with Elmhurst but now wish to take a DEA qualification a discount is available on our New Entrant course.
Corporate Groups - Corporate groups interested in the DEA qualifications should contact Training Department to discuss tailored training and qualification packages.
Once Qualified and upon joining an DEA Accreditation Scheme, members will be required to undertake annual CPD for further information please see below:
CPD for Domestic Energy Assessors
What is CPD?
Elmhurst accredited DEAs must undertake at least ten documentable hours of study each year which is directly relevant to their role as a DEA, as part of a wider Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or Life Long Learning (LLL) programme. This is stipulated in Section 7 of the Elmhurst accreditation scheme’s Code of Conduct and is a Government requirement for DEAs to maintain their accredited status.
The CPD must relate to the profession of energy assessment, drawing from a wide range of technical and business related topics. DEAs are required to maintain an annual CPD log in which they set out their personal development plan and record study related activity to meet the requirements of the plan and the overriding minimum ten hour commitment.
The method of study is not prescribed by the Code but activity must be recordable. Assessors can choose to attend training courses, conferences or seminars available from external providers or events provided internally by their employers. They can also engage in private structured learning, such as that provided by some online training providers. Certain personal development tasks, such as preparing and presenting training to others, can also count as CPD.
DEAs have an individual responsibility to maintain their CPD plan and to source appropriate study activity. The Elmhurst accreditation scheme will monitor CPD fulfillment and may question the validity of plans and study hours claimed. Training providers can apply to Elmhurst for their events to be endorsed by the accreditation scheme, but this is not a mandatory requirement.
Recording CPD
Elmhurst has developed a CPD Log –click here - to help DEAs record their CPD plans and activities. Use of this format is not mandatory if some other form of CPD record keeping is maintained that meets or exceeds the detail held in the Elmhurst log. The log needs to be updated on an ongoing basis as plans are reviewed and study activities take place. A formal review of the log should take place at least once per year. The log may be held on paper or electronically.
The first task in keeping the log is to take stock of your current level of knowledge and from this develop a set of learning objectives for the year. These are topics that need to be studied to enhance your existing level of knowledge and should be considered in context of your career. When deciding on objectives it can be helpful to score your existing level of knowledge on a scale, e.g:
1. No significant knowledge of subject
2. Aware of broad principles of subject
3. Aware to the standard of a typical practitioner
4. Already expert in the subject
Those subjects with low scores are likely to be the ones that are prioritised into objectives, particularly if they relate to the core technicalities of the DEA role, e.g. building regulations, domestic construction, heating systems, measurement practice, record keeping, health and safety during inspections. However, CPD can cover wider professional or personal skills, such as, time management, presentation skills or staff coaching or indeed focus on future business development areas.
It is best to choose perhaps four or six objectives each year and then try to source learning options to gain the necessary knowledge to match that plan. Plans with large numbers of objectives can become unwieldy and require more learning activity than is realistic in “out of office hours”.
The selected objectives should be entered in the log and study activities should be recorded against each objective noting the name, location and date of the learning event and the number of hours of study undertaken. Some objectives may be met by just one learning event whereas others may require more than one activity. Conversely, one event may provide recordable hours against several objectives, e.g. a multi subject training course.
Finally, a post event review should be undertaken and outcomes recorded in the log. Elmhurst may ask to see evidence of the learning activity. This might be a CPD Certificate provided by a training provider or some other documentary proof such as invoices or joining instructions for events. If DEAs are undertaking private structured learning*, they should keep evidence in the form of notes produced, presentation slides and lists of websites visited.
Click here for an example of a completed Elmhurst CPD Log sheet.
*Please note that simply buying a book and reading it privately does not constitute structured learning. Some form of objectively validated outcome is required.
Elmhurst CPD Courses
As the largest accreditation scheme with an unrivalled experience in energy assessment, Elmhurst will be running a series of competitively priced training seminars to help DEAs meet their CPD requirements. The topics are directly related to the DEA role and aim to:
- enhance the application of RdSAP methodology
- provide a deeper knowledge of energy related technology
- widen understanding of the energy rating industry
A series of the one day seminars is available, each providing five hours of recordable CPD, please click here for the'CPD Prospectus and Application Form'.
Frequently Asked Questions on CPD
I have hardly done any EPCs, do I still need to do CPD?
Yes, it is a Government requirement that accreditation schemes monitor the CPD of all DEAs and you risk being unable to renew your accreditation if your CPD is not up to scratch. Also, please note that Section 7 of the Code of Conduct states that DEAs should be doing at least ten EPCs a year to maintain their skills and meet Government monitoring requirements. If you wish to renew your accreditation and have not done ten EPCs in the year, please talk to us about the implications.
I am thinking of going on a training course offered by another training provider but am not sure if they are approved by Elmhurst?
Unlike some other accreditation schemes, Elmhurst offers a flexible approach to CPD. We do not insist that you come on our own CPD events and we do not charge training companies to get approval from us. So long as the course is relevant to your CPD plan and is from a mainstream training provider it is likely to meet the Elmhurst CPD monitoring requirement. When we monitor CPD there will be a presumption that DEAs are sourcing relevant material, but we do insist that you document your activities in a CPD plan and that you keep evidence of attendance at events or notes of private structured study.
I have read a book about heating systems; can I claim this as CPD?
Simply reading a book is not structured private study and therefore not claimable CPD. However, if you wrote a synopsis of the key points to circulate to fellow DEAs or developed an aid memoire on heating systems based on material in the book, that could be valid CPD. You will need to be realistic about the hours of CPD you claim and make sure you keep documentary evidence of your study. Generally, you can expect more questioning by our CPD monitors of “DIY” study activity than is likely for activity based on commercially available training events or DVD study packs.
My CPD plan contains some non-technical topics, is this acceptable?
Elmhurst recognises that CPD can include personal and professional development. So, if you plan to develop your management skills or presentation skills, in addition to keeping in touch with technical energy matters that is fine. However, the topics must have some relevance to the role of a DEA. You can’t claim attendance on a car maintenance course or committee work for the badminton club as CPD!
For any further information:
Contact Elmhurst Energy Systems Ltd on 08700 850490 alternative 01455 883 250