• Approved Certifiers of Design joining criteria

    Approved Certifiers of Design joining criteria

    Training and Certification Schemes for Approved Certifiers of Building Design for Scotland

    Membership is restricted to individuals who have a minimum of qualifications related to the energy design of buildings.

    Membership for Individuals:

    Individual membership of the Scheme is open to persons with a minimum level of qualification, as follows:

    • Membership of an appropriate professional body (e.g. RIAS, RIBA, RICS, CIOB, IMechE, IStructE, IEEE, CIAT, Institute of Energy, CIBSE or other appropriate professional body).
    • Level IV SVQ/NVQ, with membership of a professional body.
    • At the discretion of the Scheme Provider, where equivalence to the above two levels can be demonstrated.

    The latter category is intended to allow members of considerable energy design experience of non-domestic buildings, but who are not members of professional bodies or Level IV qualified.  All applicants will need to demonstrate competence through an examination in any case and the opportunity for specific training for all applicants exists

    Additionally Approved Certifiers of Design must successfully undertake and complete BRE Certification's examination(s) to demonstrate knowledge and experience of the Scottish Building Standards system and energy design of both domestic and non-domestic buildings.

    Membership will only be awarded on satisfactorily completing an examination for non-domestic building certification.  This will include examination in the use of the national calculation methodologies and energy design standards for non-domestic buildings.

    Membership of Approved Bodies

    Criteria for the membership of firms, public bodies, or other organisations are given below. Approved Bodies are required to comply with the following:

    (1) employ at least one Approved Certifier of Design so that applications must either: - be accompanied by an application for membership of an individual who is permanently employed by the body; or- identify an individual who has already achieved Certifier status with another Approved Body but who has transferred their employment to the applicant's permanent staff;

    (2) agree to adopt appropriate auditable checking procedures to assure the quality of certification activities (formal accreditation such as ISO9000 is not a requirement);

    (3) agree to hold public liability insurance to a value of at least £2m and, where appropriate, employers liability insurance;

    (4) provide access for Certifiers to all relevant legislation, handbooks, codes standards and guides;

    (5) make provision to promote the training and development of Approved Certifiers of Design, in support of certification activities (including both technical and procedural training) to an appropriate level.

    (6) designate a Certification Coordinator to countersign certificates completed by a Certifier who is employed or otherwise engaged by the Approved Body;

    (7) maintain a logbook of all certificates issued. This logbook to be used by all Certifiers employed by the Approved Body.

    (8) undertake to understand the Scheme's requirements as described in this Scheme Guide;

    (9) undertake to abide by the Scheme Code of Conduct;

    (10) report changes in staffing, within two working days, to BRE C with regard to Approved Certifiers of Design or the Certification Coordinator;

    (11) agree to audit of their certification activities by BRE C on request.

    Bodies with more than one office are required to make a separate application for each branch office that wishes to offer certification services.  Only offices or branch offices that employ at least one Certifier are eligible for membership.

    Membership for Sole Practitioner

    A sole practitioner can be both a Certifier and an Approved Body and must submit both application forms.

    The joining requirements for the Sole Practitioner are the same as those of the Individual Certifier.

    For more information

    E: Approved Certifiers of Design
    T: +44 (0)141 4474999
    or via one of our local offices