The New Building Energy Rating (BER) scale is now in effect across Ireland. Since 24 May 2026, every domestic BER cert issued uses the new simplified scale. The old sub-bands you may know: A1, A2, B1, B2, B3 and so on, are gone. The scale is now A0, A, B, C, D, E, F, G.
The biggest change is at the top. A0 is a brand-new tier reserved for homes that have eliminated all on-site fossil fuels, including solid fuel stoves and open fireplaces, and meet Ireland’s Zero Emissions Building criteria.. A0 is the new gold standard for an Irish home.
If you already have a BER certificate, it remains valid for 10 years from the date it was issued, unless your home has undergone a major renovation. One important point: if you’re planning to use a One Stop Shop to apply for an SEAI grant, your BER must be less than 5 years old. A cert that’s still technically valid for sale or rent may no longer meet the grant eligibility rules.
That’s the short version. The rest of this article explains what changed, what’s on the new certificate, and what you need to know before starting an upgrade.
What changed on 24 May 2026
Three things changed on launch day.
The scale was simplified. The old 15-band scale (A1 to G with sub-bands) collapsed into 8 bands. The mapping is straightforward:
| New Band | Energy use (kWh/m²/yr) | Replaces |
|---|---|---|
| A0 | ≤ 42 (plus ZEB criteria) | New tier |
| A | ≤ 75 | A1, A2, A3 |
| B | ≤ 150 | B1, B2, B3 |
| C | ≤ 225 | C1, C2, C3 |
| D | ≤ 275 | D1 |
| E | ≤ 325 | D2, E1 |
| F | ≤ 375 | E2, F |
| G | > 375 | G |
A new top tier – A0 – was introduced. A0 is reserved for the most energy-efficient homes, those producing zero or very low operational carbon emissions, with no fossil fuels of any kind on site. That means no gas, no oil, no solid fuel stoves, and any open fireplaces must be closed off
The BER certificate was redesigned. New certs show more information: lifecycle carbon (Global Warming Potential), renewable energy contribution, primary and final energy use, smart-readiness indicators, and a QR code linking directly to tailored upgrade advice on the SEAI website.
What A0 means for your home
- To qualify for A0, a home must meet six criteria:
- Primary energy value of 42 kWh/m²/yr or less
- Carbon emissions of 5 kg CO₂eq/m²/yr or less
- No fossil fuels used on site of any kind – no gas boiler, no oil boiler, no solid fuel stove, and any open fireplaces must be closed off
- Energy demand met by carbon-free sources – in practice this means on-site renewables, with solar PV (and often solar thermal) required
- Capable of reacting to external signals to adjust energy use (smart readiness)
- Compliant with the nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) standard
In practical terms, reaching A0 means a well-insulated airtight fabric, a heat pump, on-site renewables (solar PV at minimum), modern smart controls, and the removal or sealing of any fireplaces or stoves.
What it means for you
If you’re selling or renting your home, a BER is still required. Buyers and tenants will see the new-style certificate. If your existing cert was issued before 24 May 2026, it’s still valid for the full 10-year period, but it will show the old scale, which buyers may need help understanding.
If you already have a BER and aren’t planning works, nothing changes today. Your certificate stays valid for 10 years from issue. Use the table above to see roughly where your home now sits on the new scale.
If you’re planning to apply for a grant through a One Stop Shop, check the age of your BER. For grant purposes, your BER cert must be less than 5 years old. If yours was issued more than five years ago, you’ll need a fresh pre-works BER assessment before an application can be submitted.
If you’re planning an upgrade, this is the most important shift. Because the new bands are wider, you could invest significantly in your home and still sit in the same letter band, for example, going from B3 to B1 used to feel like a visible jump, but on the new scale both are simply “B”. That doesn’t mean the work isn’t worthwhile. The headline numbers to track are your energy use (kWh/m²/yr) and your carbon emissions, both of which still appear prominently on your new cert. Those numbers move with every upgrade, even when the letter doesn’t.
If you’re aiming for the best rating possible, A0 is the new target. The route is typically fabric upgrades (insulation, airtightness, windows), ventilation with heat recovery, switching from a fossil fuel boiler to a heat pump, removing or sealing any solid fuel stoves and open fireplaces, and adding on-site renewables, solar PV at minimum.
Thinking about a grant-funded upgrade? Here's what you need to know
If you’re considering using a One Stop Shop to access SEAI grant funding, there are a few core eligibility rules to be aware of upfront.
Your property must have been built and occupied before 2011. Newer homes are not eligible.
Your BER must be less than 5 years old. This is the grant-specific rule. Even though a BER is technically valid for 10 years, an OSS grant application needs a cert no older than five years.
Your project must include at least two upgrade measures. Single-measure projects don’t qualify under the One Stop Shop pathway.
Your home must reach a minimum BER of B after the works. This is verified through a post-works BER assessment.
A 100 kWh/m²/yr energy uplift is typically required – though this requirement is waived where a heat pump is installed as part of the works (from March 2026 onwards).
The grant application must be approved by SEAI before any works start on site. Starting works early – even by a day – can put the entire grant at risk.
The works must be completed within one year of the application being approved.
The grant is deducted by the One Stop Shop directly. SEAI pays the OSS, and you pay only the balance, you don’t need to wait for a separate refund.
If your home has already received a grant for a particular measure in the past, it won’t be eligible for a second grant for the same measure. There are some exceptions – for example, if you previously received a grant for cavity wall insulation, you can still apply for an internal wall insulation grant or an external wall insulation grant. A One Stop Shop advisor can check your property’s history before starting an application.
What's on your new BER certificate
The new cert is three pages. Page one shows your rating, the simplified scale, your home and assessor details, a QR code linking to tailored upgrade information, and a block of energy data: annual primary energy, annual final energy, renewable energy share, building energy demand, lifecycle Global Warming Potential, and operational greenhouse gas emissions.
Page two adds your main energy carrier, your renewable energy source, whether your home can respond to smart-grid signals, and whether your heat distribution system can run at low temperatures (a key indicator of heat pump readiness). It also names a recommended provider for renovation advice.
Page three is plain-English explanatory notes covering every term used on the cert.
The Building Renovation Passport
Alongside the new BER scale, SEAI is introducing the Building Renovation Passport, a sequenced roadmap showing the upgrades a specific home needs, in what order, with estimated costs and savings at each step.
For homeowners considering a staged retrofit over several years, the passport is a practical planning tool. It maps the journey from your starting point to A0.
Why the change?
The change reflects the EU’s recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), formally adopted in May 2024 with a transposition deadline of 29 May 2026. The directive sets a target of all buildings in Europe becoming Zero Emissions Buildings (ZEBs) by 2050. The new BER scale, the A0 tier, the Building Renovation Passport, and the lifecycle carbon disclosure are all part of how Ireland is meeting that target.
What to do next
If you’re not planning to sell, rent or renovate in the near future, you don’t need to act. Your existing BER cert remains valid for 10 years from the date it was issued.
If you’re considering an upgrade, your next step is a home energy assessment. A registered One Stop Shop can walk you through a tailored plan, check whether your existing BER is still inside the 5-year grant window, confirm your property meets the pre-2011 eligibility rule, and map out the path to a B-or-better rating (and ultimately A or A0) for your specific home.
You can also scan the QR code on any new BER certificate, or visit the SEAI website, for guidance specific to your property.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a new BER if I already have one?
No. Your existing BER certificate remains valid for 10 years from the date it was issued, unless your home has undergone a major renovation. You only need a new BER if you are selling or renting after your current cert expires, if it is more than 10 years old, or if you are applying for an SEAI grant and your cert is more than 5 years old.
What's the difference between A and A0?
An A-rated home uses 75 kWh/m²/yr or less. An A0-rated home meets the same energy threshold plus five additional criteria: very low carbon emissions, absolutely no fossil fuels on site (which includes solid fuel stoves and means any open fireplaces must be closed off), energy met by carbon-free sources including on-site renewables like solar PV, smart readiness, and nZEB compliance.
Will my old A2 rating now show as A?
Your existing certificate continues to display the rating it was issued with — including the sub-band — for the full 10 years of its validity. The next time a BER is carried out on your home, the new rating will be shown in the simplified format. An A2 home under the old scale falls within the A band on the new scale.
How old can my BER be if I want to apply for a grant?
For SEAI grants applied for through a One Stop Shop, your BER certificate must be less than 5 years old at the time of application. If yours is older, a fresh pre-works BER assessment will be needed before an application can be submitted.
Can I reach A0 in a period property?
A0 is achievable in many older homes, but it can be more challenging in protected structures or properties with planning restrictions - particularly because A0 requires the removal of all fossil fuel heating (including any solid fuel stoves), the closure of any open fireplaces, deep fabric upgrades, and on-site renewables. A registered One Stop Shop can assess what's realistic for your specific home.
What are the minimum requirements to qualify for an SEAI grant via a One Stop Shop?
Your property must have been built and occupied before 2011, your BER must be less than 5 years old, your project must include at least two upgrade measures, and your home must reach a minimum BER of B after the works. The grant application must be approved by SEAI before any works begin.
What is the Building Renovation Passport?
The Building Renovation Passport is a sequenced roadmap showing the specific upgrades your home needs to reach A0, in what order, with estimated costs and savings at each step. It's a planning tool for homeowners considering a staged retrofit over several years.
Will fossil fuel boilers still be installed in Ireland?
EU rules confirm that financial incentives for new fossil fuel boilers have been phased out. The direction of travel is clear: Ireland is committed to all buildings being zero emissions by 2050. Most homeowners replacing a heating system today are advised to consider a heat pump as part of a wider upgrade.