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What is the dwelling emissions rate and how is it used?
Takumi Sloan • April 26, 2021
The dwelling emission rate is the annual CO2 emissions from all new dwellings and is expressed in kilograms per square meter of floor area (kg/m²). The quantity is calculated in accordance with the applicable regulatory document and expressed in kilograms per unit floor area to two decimal places, is known as the Dwelling Emissions Rate, or DER. In another sense, the DER is equal to the annual CO2 emission per unit of floor area for, space heating, water heating, ventilation, and lighting less the emission that could be saved from renewable technology.
The dwelling emissions rate is used within SAP ‘Standards Assessment Procedure’ and will be conducted by an SAP assessor or on construction domestic energy assessor. Just so it is clear the SAP assessor and the on construction energy assessors are the same people but they can be called two different things.
The SAP will also produce a target emissions rate ‘TER’ which is also expressed kilograms per square meter of floor area (kg/m²) but uses a notional specification which is defined within the Building Regulations Part L1A documents. The DER is then compared to the TER and provided the DER is lower then the TER compliance is demonstrated.
The SAP is an independent calculation is does not take account of specific individual characteristics of a household or the specific occupiers living in the dwellings. For example,
• The household size and composition is ignored
• Ownership and efficiency of an individual particular domestic electrical appliance
• Individual heating patterns and temperatures.
Once the specific dwelling has been entered into SAP and all the relevant u-values for the floor, walls and roof, heating system, ventilation system, design air permeability score and any renewable technology this will provide the dwelling an dwelling emissions rate DER which is compared to the target emission rate TER. Provided the DER score is below the TER then compliance with Part L1A
Conservation of fuel and power.
If however, the dwelling emission rate was higher than the target emission rate the SAP assessors could provide and run multiple options on ways compliance could be regained. Better u-values
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