Extract

The main objective of this paper is to explore the question whether rating the energy performance of a design is
the right way to achieve environmentally sustainable development. The actual performance of a built and
occupied house is compared to the predicted performance by a rating scheme. The house performance was
examined through site visits, interviews with the architect and occupants, monitoring, simulation, and analyses.
The Nationwide Home Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) was then used to see how the house would “rate”
according to the scheme. The results show that although in reality the house performs reasonably well in terms
of its comfort conditions, energy use and environmental impact, it receives a very low rating when examined
with NatHERS. The paper questions the utility of the scheme, analyses some of the problems and suggests that
the whole concept in the current rating scheme be re-examined.

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