Scotland now has two new design certification schemes for the energy performance of its buildings under the Approved Certification of Design Scheme.

The scheme is designed to recognise and publicise competency in energy efficient design and provide client assurance of compliance with building regulations. One scheme covers domestic buildings and the other non-domestic.

“It is a pleasure to see that these two long-standing and well-respected  organisations, BRE and the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, have been able to work well together,” said minister for transport, infrastructure & climate change Stewart Stevenson at the launch. “Both of these certification schemes for energy will enhance the building standards system in Scotland. They will be subject to the same robust auditing by the Scottish Building Standards Agency that is already in place for the existing structural design and electrical installation schemes.”

Compliance with the scheme means a 10% reduction on warrant fees, verifiers in building control departments having to accept certificates with no further compliance checking. BRE says it will mean increased efficiency and reduced delays in building control.

http://www.bre.co.uk/newsdetails.jsp?id=447