The technical requirements of the Home Energy Conservation Act

Reports on the work undertaken by the University of Salford on behalf of Warrington Borough Council to satisfy the technical requirements of the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA)[1] which obtained Royal Assent in June 1995 and came into force on 1 April 1996. Also examines the information contained in the Guidance Notes[2] and the procedures that local authorities can adopt to carry out a sample stock profile and hence determine an energy rating distribution. Further information can also be obtained from full energy audits based on a sample of stock, from which targets can then be determined and measures applied to the whole stock as and when funds allow. The performance of energy efficiency improvements can be measured against improved Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), National Home Energy Rating (NHER) and reduced CO₂ emissions by the use of software tools. A value for money assessment can then be made using the benefits to tenants in theoretical cost saving for standard level of comfort achieved resulting in the calculation of payback times.