Information Collection: Your Green Deal Advice Report consists of two documents; an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and an Occupancy Assessment (OA). The EPC shows the current and potential energy efficiency of your home. The EPC will produce recommendations of measures that you can install to save money and make your home more efficient, known as Green Deal measures. The Occupancy Assessment will involve detailed questions about your lifestyle and energy usage. The idea of this is to gain a better understanding of how the property is used and to provide a better indication of whether the recommendations in the EPC, (which are based on typical energy usage), reflect your personal usage. Together, these two assessments form your Green Deal Advice report, which is unique to you and your household. Below details the information collected and activities involved in producing these assessments. EPC Assessment. In cases where you do not have an existing/valid EPC your GDA will conduct a survey in order to produce and lodge a valid EPC, which forms part of your Green Deal Advice Report (GDAR). The assessment process involves the following: • Establishing the age and construction method of the property. • Measuring floor and wall areas of the property. • Looking at heating systems including the boiler, heat emitters, and controls. • Identifying existing wall and loft insulation. • Identifying any alternative heating (e.g. solar) and energy-efficient products (e.g. energy saving light bulbs). • Your assessor is required to take photographs as evidence for auditing under their certification scheme. However, you are under no obligation to consent to this and should you have any questions/ reservations you should talk to your GDA who will explain the requirements in full detail. Occupancy Assessment. During the occupancy assessment the GDA shall provide you with, and collect, the following information: • Explain to you the purpose and scope of the occupancy assessment and associated advice if you requests more information than has already been provided. • They will ask you the questions mandated in the occupancy assessment software and enter data as required. • They will identify the actual energy use for the household as reflected in your energy bills. • Assess whether the standard predictions in the EPC for the property reflect actual use by you, or whether they are higher or lower than typical use. • Explain the results of the occupancy assessment, in particular the GDA must explain the household factors that make a difference e.g. number of occupants, hours at home each day, thermostat setting and annual energy bills. • Make an assessment of the likely suitability of the Green Deal Finance to the current householder and communicate this. • Discuss with you possible packages of measures appropriate to you and the potential energy savings. • Explain to you any ways you can save money today and other ways to avoid energy waste in the home suggested on the occupancy assessment. • Provide behavioural advice and any other free and low cost ways to reduce energy use, which are relevant to you. • Explain to you what the EPC adviser tool does. • Explain what possible subsidies may be available to you. • Explain the availability of relevant incentives, and where you can find out more about them; and, • Point you toward further advice services should you require them, such as the Energy Saving Advice Service in England and Wales or the ESSAC network in Scotland.

The Green Deal Assessment

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