The new BER scale: A0 to G, no more sub-bands.

The new classes and thresholds

A BER is expressed as primary energy use per square metre of floor area per year (kWh/m²/yr), calculated on standard occupancy. The certificate form for homes in Schedule 1 to S.I. No. 168 of 2026 sets these classes:

The old scale, in the certificate form in the 2012 Regulations, had 15 bands. Each band below started at the figure shown and ran up to the start of the next:

A, B and C keep the same limits of 75, 150 and 225. From D down, the boundaries are lower: G now starts above 375 kWh/m²/yr, where it used to start above 450. The Department of Housing says the letter for the vast majority of homes will stay the same. The certificate also notes that a future BER can differ because of changes to the building or to the assessment software.

What A0 means

S.I. No. 168 of 2026 defines a zero-emission building as one with a very high energy performance, requiring zero or a very low amount of energy, producing zero on-site carbon emissions from fossil fuels, and producing zero or a very low amount of operational greenhouse gas emissions. An A0 home must be at or below 42 kWh/m²/yr and meet those criteria, so a low figure alone is not enough.

The regulations also say the energy demand threshold for a zero-emission building must be at least 10 per cent lower than the nearly zero-energy building threshold that applied on 28 May 2024, and that its operational greenhouse gas emissions must stay within the threshold in the national building renovation plan. The Minister said A0 paves the way for a higher standard in new homes from 2030.

What else is on the new certificate

Besides the class, the validity dates, BER number, building type, build year and assessor details, the new certificate for homes reports:

It also carries a QR code linking to information about the BER and planning a home energy upgrade, and names SEAI as the recommended provider of renovation advice.

Do existing BERs stay valid?

• Yes. Regulation 8 of S.I. No. 168 of 2026 says a BER certificate issued, or BER record created, before 24 May 2026 continues to be valid.
• For 10 years from issue. Under Regulation 22 of the 2012 Regulations, a BER certificate and its advisory report are valid for 10 years from the date of issue.
• Unless the building changes. A certificate becomes invalid after any material change that could affect energy performance, including significant deterioration in the fabric, an extension, or a change to the heating system or the fuel it uses.
• Until it is replaced. If a new BER is issued while the old one is still valid, the old one stands revoked. A new BER issued now will use the new scale.

An old certificate is not re-graded. A home rated C2 on a 2024 certificate stays C2 on that certificate until it expires, becomes invalid or is replaced.

Landlords and letting agents

• Show the BER to prospective tenants. Regulation 10 of the 2012 Regulations requires a landlord offering a home for letting, and any agent, to produce a copy of the BER certificate and advisory report to anyone interested in renting it.
• Put the rating in the advert. Regulation 12 requires the energy performance indicator of the current BER certificate in any advertisement for the letting. With an older certificate that is the rating printed on it, such as B3; with a new one it is a letter from A0 to G. SEAI, as the Issuing Authority, can publish guidance on how it is displayed.
• Existing BERs still count. The Department of Housing says existing valid BERs continue to meet the requirements for rental and advertising.
• BER in rent setting. Under the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, for tenancies created on or after 1 March 2026 (with a limited exception), the landlord gives the tenant and the Residential Tenancies Board the rents of 3 comparable homes, matched on size, bedrooms, type, character and, where applicable, BER. Rent review notices served after 28 February 2026 must state the home’s floor area and, where the BER regulations apply to it, its BER. Registration of a tenancy with the Board now includes both.

Sellers

The same Regulations 10 and 12 apply to a sale: produce a copy of the BER certificate and advisory report to anyone interested in buying, and state the rating in any advertisement. A valid existing BER still meets the requirements for sale and conveyancing, so there is no need for a new one because of the scale change. If the home has been extended or had its heating system or fuel changed since the BER was issued, check whether the certificate is still valid.

Surveyors and inspectors

For a while, reports will meet both scales. A few habits keep a report accurate:

• Quote the rating as printed, with the BER number and the date of issue, and say whether it is on the old scale (A1 to G) or the new one (A0 to G). Do not convert an old rating to a new letter.
• Check the dates. A certificate issued before 24 May 2026 is on the old scale; it runs for 10 years from issue.
• Record what could affect validity. An extension, a new heating system, a fuel change or significant fabric deterioration can make a BER invalid. Photograph and note what you see, and recommend the client asks a registered BER assessor where it matters.
• Stay within your role. A condition report can record a BER; it does not assess or certify one.

Buildings other than homes

S.I. No. 195 of 2026 made the same change for buildings other than dwellings from 24 May 2026: classes A0 to G, with primary energy thresholds that vary by building type in a new Schedule 6, and a separate threshold for renovated buildings (“ZEB Renovate”). Certificates issued before that date remain valid.

Where PropertySurvey Pro fits

• Record the BER you are given: choose Ireland BER as the energy scheme, then enter the current rating, the potential rating and the BER number, next to your condition findings.
• Evidence the changes: dated photos and notes of the heating system, fuel, extensions and fabric condition, room by room.
• On site and offline: the PDF is built on your device, in euro, with no signal needed. Property surveys in Ireland.

PropertySurvey Pro does not carry out BER assessments, issue BER certificates or decide whether a certificate is valid.