Simply put, a SAP assessment is just a calculation which attempts to tell us how energy efficient new homes are, and how much carbon dioxide they are likely to produce.
Results from the SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) are measured against building regulations minimum standards, to check if the building complies with Approved Document L (specifically Part L1A which covers new residential buildings).
The results also form the basis for the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate).
The immediate goal of a SAP assessment is to prove that the building complies with building regulations, which will ultimately allow it to be signed off by building control.
In the bigger picture, SAP assessments and Part L regulations themselves exist so that we can understand and help reduce the environmental impact of buildings.
We provide SAP assessments with EPC's for new build dwelling projects of all scales. If you already know what you need, you can use our quick quoting tool. Alternatively if you prefer, contact us directly and we'll be happy to discuss your needs and advise.
Many aspects of the building design specification are taken into account and used to calculate a SAP assessment and EPC.
Factors such as the amount of insulation used, the size and shape of the building, the type of heating, ventilation and lighting systems used, and many others are all entered into specialist SAP software by a qualified assessor.
The software does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of making calculations and producing results, but a good assessor is then able to interpret the results and offer cost-effective guidance if necessary.
Correctly entering accurate information is important, because inaccuracies can invalidate a SAP assessment and EPC, causing costly remedial actions to be necessary.
As approved document L gets updated, the amount of information required to calculate an assessment ususally increases. Older versions of Part L require less information than the current version. In the near future HEM (Home Energy Model) will be used to assess compliance instead of SAP, and will calculate in much finer detail, requiring more information to be input.
Some of the same design specifications (such as glazing and ventilation) will also affect other assessments like Part O - overheating.
This means if you adjust something on a SAP assessment, there is a chance it will be necessary to adjust other assessments too. Changing those other assessments can sometimes cause them to go from a PASS to a FAIL.
Because of this, it's a good idea to use multi-skilled assessors such as Approved Building Consulting, who are aware of these potential impacts to carry out multiple services.
This helps avoid "buck-passing" between multiple service providers, ensuring the final design specification is consistent, and compliant across all assessments.
You can use our quick quoting tool to get a quick itemised quote for multiple assessments, or if you're not sure what exactly you need, contact us for a no-pressure conversation and some guidance.
We'll need a few architectural drawings, and some other information about the design specification to carry out an assessment.
When you accept a quote with us, you will be provided with a complete and detailed information checklist for all services associated with the quote. To get a general idea about the SAP information requirements beforehand, you can check out this
| Item | Required for |
|---|---|
| Drawings (Scaled architetural drawings in PDF or CAD format) | |
| Floor Plans | Used to model and calculate the geometry of the building (Floor shape and area and room divisions) |
| Elevations | Used to model and calculate the geometry of the building (Window and door and roof shapes and sizes) |
| Section Drawings | Used to model and calculate the geometry of the building (Internal floor to ceiling heights and floor thicknesses) |
| Site Plan | Used to determine the surroundings of the building (Attachment, adjacent properties and orientation) |
| Other information (SAP Checklist) | |
| Site Address | Used to determine the local climate data and reference reports |
| Regulation Version | Used to determine which SAP rules to apply to the assessment |
| Insulation type and thickness for Walls Roofs and floors | Used to calculate "Dwelling Fabric Energy Efficiency" (DFEE) and heat loss. |
| Window and door U-values and G-values | Used to calculate heat loss and solar heat gain from glazing and doors. |
| Ventilation system type and number of fans | Used to determine the energy consumption of the ventilation system |
| Heating system type | Used to determine the energy consumption, emissions and estimated cost for space heating |
| Water heating system type | Used to determine the energy consumption, emissions and estimated cost for water heating |
| Lighting arrangement | Used to determine the energy consumption of the lighting system |
| Renewable systems | Used to account for the energy and carbon benefits of renewables. |
If you are building a new build house then yes, it will need a SAP assessment to show compliance with building regulations Approved Document L1A, and to form the basis for the EPC.
SAP assessments are currently required for all new dwellings to prove compliance with Part L, determine the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) score, and ultimately get approved for building control sign off.
SAP assessments are the current accepted methodology to measure energy efficiency performance and carbon emissions associated with new build dwellings. There are also variations of SAP assessments which cover conversions/change of use, and even overglazed extensions. Existing dwellings which just need the EPC renewed, have a slightly different assessment called rdSAP (reduced data SAP)
If your project requires a SAP, or other related services, get in touch and we'll be happy to discuss your needs and provide you with a no-obligations quote.
No, but they are closely related.
SAP is a calculation that tells us how energy efficient new homes are, and how much carbon dioxide they produce. The EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is a certificate which uses the results of the SAP calculation to assign a score and a rank.
It's a bit like sitting an exam and getting a qualification. The exam has lots of questions, each worth a certain number of points. The final exam score is used to determine if you pass or fail to achieve the qualification. The qualification itself may be a certificate with a grade (e.g. A-F) on it. In this analogy, the SAP is the exam, and the EPC is the qualification achieved by passing.
New build EPCs are calculated using SAP, however, when an existing dwelling needs an EPC renewal, the information to do a full SAP calculation (such as the amount/type of insulation) isn't always available. Therefore, existing dwellings use a different calculation method called "rdSAP" (Reduced Data SAP). rdSAP requires an assessor to carry out a site visit, take measurements and collect what information is available.
No, but they are closely related.
SAP is a calculation that tells us how energy efficient new homes are, and how much carbon dioxide they produce. The EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is a certificate which uses the results of the SAP calculation to assign a score and a rank.
It's a bit like sitting an exam and getting a qualification. The exam has lots of questions, each worth a certain number of points. The final exam score is used to determine if you pass or fail to achieve the qualification. The qualification itself may be a certificate with a grade (e.g. A-F) on it. In this analogy, the SAP is the exam, and the EPC is the qualification achieved by passing.
New build EPCs are calculated using SAP, however, when an existing dwelling needs an EPC renewal, the information to do a full SAP calculation (such as the amount/type of insulation) isn't always available. Therefore, existing dwellings use a different calculation method called "rdSAP" (Reduced Data SAP). rdSAP requires an assessor to carry out a site visit, take measurements and collect what information is available.