APEL Route to become a Low Carbon Energy Assessor (LCEA) to produce Non Domestic EPCs
CIBSE Certification operates the APEL (Approval of Prior Experience & Learning) Route to certification. This is a fast, low cost route that recognises your prior experience and learning as an alternative to taking a specific Energy Assessor qualification and can provide certification to the highest quality via an application process.
The Pre-APEL is a FREE assessment of your 2 years of full time equivalent experience in the last 5 years and counts towards your main APEL form. You will need to demonstrate that you have a minimum of 2 years of equivalent full time substantial experience in the past 5 years in building services design, energy management, or building surveying and assessments of commercial (non-dwelling) buildings.
Register and submit your EPC Pre-APEL application here.
If you pass the initial screening of your Pre-APEL you will then need to complete the full Approval of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) form online submitting the following:
- Proof of Identity – Submit a copy of your passport or driving licence (if for any reason you cannot provide a copy of one of these documents please contact us for further information).
- Statement & CV – The statement and CV that you have already provided for your Pre-APEL should be copied across to your main application. However, if you have been asked at the Pre-APEL stage to amend either of these at the main APEL stage, you should submit a new CV and you will be able to amend the statement. If you have chosen to bypass the Pre-APEL stage you will need to amend both your CV and statement at this stage and pay the assessment fee without your CV and statement being pre-screened.
- Insurance – Provide a copy of your company’s Professional Indemnity Insurance certificate (min £250,000.00 for all levels), and a copy of your company’s Public Liability Insurance certificate (min £1,000,000.00).
- Membership – Provide a copy of your current professional membership’s certificates if applicable.
- Qualification – List your qualifications and provide a copy of your supporting certificates. The certificates must be signed and verified by the awarding body, senior manager or a client. You must also provide an examination certificate to demonstrate your competence in the use of your chosen software (recognised training and examinations are available from a variety of software providers - click here.
- Continual Professional Development (CPD) – Submit a CPD record for the past two calendar years. You must have a minimum of 21 hours of CPD activity per year and add at least 1 objective for each year, plus an additional objective for the year that you are applying in. You will be required to upload certificates for any structured CPD activity. Click here for more information on the CPD requirements. The requirement for CPD is ongoing therefore you are required to complete your record even after achieving registration.
- NOS Requirement – You must be able to meet the NOS Performance Criteria and Knowledge and Understanding sections of the APEL application. Download EPC NOS. You may be exempt from completing NOS sections 1and 2.1 of the form if you are a full member of CIBSE or one of the other professional bodies listed in the Table of professional bodies
- Software samples – Provide 2 test draft EPCs.
One of these test certificates must be for a non-domestic new building and the other for a non-domestic existing building. They should be of a scale suitable for the strand for which you are applying, i.e., if you are seeking accreditation as an EPC level 5 Assessor, the test certificates should be provided for large complex buildings using your preferred DSM software. If you are applying for EPC level 4 which incorporates EPC level 3, the test certificates should be for EPC level 4 type buildings, not just a small building with frequently occurring characteristics.
CIBSE Certification can provide 2 sample EPC’s that you can use for assessment, should you require these please contact one of the team on 020 8772 3649.
- Referee – Provide the name and contact details of your manager/director or senior client representative that has known you for 2 years or more and can verify your work and APEL application.
- Code of Conduct – You must read and accept the terms in the CIBSE Certification Code of Conduct.
- Declaration – You will need to read all the Scheme documentation on the Declaration page before submitting your APEL form.
- Assessment fee – Once you have submitted the APEL form you will be required to pay a one-off assessment fee; you can do this by credit/debit card, over the phone or send a cheque.
Please download the LCEA and LCC Scheme Description Document (CCSDD 201) for full information on the Scheme requirements and conditions of Certification.
Exam Information
If you haven’t already done so you will need to book, complete and pass the CIBSE Low Carbon Consultant (LCC) Design Management examination. CIBSE Training provide this exam
Software Exam Information
Please contact a relevant software provider of your choice
Complete and pass the assessment with your chosen software provider and submit your relevant software certificate with the completed APEL form.
Certification Fees
- One off non-refundable assessment fee: £450 + VAT (an additional assessment fee of £150 + VAT may be applicable for additional reviews)
- Annual registration fee: £330 + VAT
If you are already a CIBSE Certification LCEA DEC Assessor or Air Conditioning Inspector the annual registration fee for EPC is £150 + VAT.
The EPC registration includes FREE entry on the Low Carbon Consultants (LCC) Design Management and Simulation registers.