Becoming an accredited energy auditor for public-sector establishments (UREBA support mechanism)

Any natural or legal person wishing to obtain accreditation as an UREBA auditor in accordance with the conditions set out below.

For your application for accreditation as a natural person:

1)   Hold one of the following degrees:

• Master’s degree in civil engineering.
• Master’s degree in architecture.
• Master’s degree in industrial engineering sciences.

OR

Provide evidence of at least three years’ experience in the rational use of energy in buildings => creation of a file compiled by the applicant in order to provide as much evidence as possible regarding the experience.

2) Be independent of any supplier of energy, equipment or works referred to in the audit.

3) Demonstrate the applicant’s competence in the constituent elements of the audit.

4) Not have been the subject, less than three years before submitting the application for accreditation, of a decision withdrawing accreditation or a decision not to extend the one-year accreditation, pursuant to this Order or the Walloon Government Order of 27 February 2014 on the granting of subsidies to companies and representative organisations of companies for the improvement of energy efficiency and the promotion of a more rational use of energy in the private sector (AMURE).

For your application for accreditation as a legal entity:

Any legal entity that has, among its staff or collaborators, at least one UREBA auditor accredited as a natural person may also be accredited as an UREBA auditor.

Approval is granted primarily on the basis of a technical analysis of the energy audit reports produced by the applicant for accreditation in accordance with the criteria set out in Article 8 of the Walloon Government Order UREBA of 13 October 2022. The analysis of these reports must be free from any breaches of the auditor’s duties, the content of the audit, or the methodology applicable to the performance of audits.

If the candidate auditor has one of the qualifications required (see below) but is unable to provide an audit report that complies with the UREBA conditions and requirements, the candidate may obtain temporary accreditation for one year (Article 21 of the aforementioned Walloon Government Order).

This temporary accreditation may be extended for a further four years, provided that the audit reports carried out during this year of provisional accreditation meet the quality criteria referred to in Article 8 of the aforementioned Walloon Government Order.

At the end of the five-year period of UREBA auditor accreditation, a renewal application may be submitted by the accredited auditor, accompanied by three audit reports dated within the last three years (Article 22 of the aforementioned Walloon Government Order).

Duties of an UREBA auditor

The purpose of the UREBA audit is to examine energy-related aspects at the building level. The aim is to present the current energy situation with regard to the building envelope (description of characteristics and uses), the technical systems (including lighting), as well as energy consumption over the last three years. The audit must then set out recommendations for improving the building’s energy performance, based on a long-term renovation strategy for the building, including carbon neutrality in 2040. In addition, it must include a roadmap for the renovation of the building, enabling the objectives of the long-term renovation strategy to be achieved.

UREBA is also a financial support scheme in the form of subsidies intended to encourage the energy renovation of buildings, whether they belong to specified public authorities or to non-commercial organisations, and also to support the performance of energy audits. To qualify for an UREBA audit subsidy, the audit must have been carried out by an accredited natural or legal person (‘UREBA auditor’) and must meet the criteria and conditions so as to comply with the minimum content of an UREBA energy audit.

The obligations of the UREBA auditor (Articles 23 and 8 of the Walloon Government Order)

Article 8 of the aforementioned Walloon Government Order sets out the minimum content of an UREBA energy audit.

At the end of the assignment, the auditor explains the audit report and the recommendations made to the applicant. The auditor personally performs the tasks of collecting information relating to the applicant’s property strategy or energy register, as well as explaining the audit report and the recommendations it contains. The other tasks necessary for drawing up the audit may be carried out by partial delegation. The auditor must also be able to explain all the financial support for which the client commissioning the audit may be eligible, or direct the client to where this information can be obtained: UREBA subsidies

The auditor assumes responsibility for the actions and recommendations set out in the audit, including those carried out by delegation.

The auditor performs the assignment in complete independence. The auditor does not make any commercial proposals concerning the energy supply of the building or the improvements established by the audit.

Except in the case of an inspection, auditors do not disclose to third parties any information relating to the results of the audit without the prior consent of the applicant.

The audit report must also include the data necessary for inspection in accordance with Article 24 of the aforementioned Walloon Government Order, including:

• identification of the author of the report;
• the accreditation number of the author of the report;
• the administrative references of the building audited;
• the date on which the audit was carried out;
• the cost of the audit.

If you would like more information about conducting an UREBA energy audit: Sheet 1.0 – UREBA subsidy.

Correction of poor-quality audits (Article 24 of the Walloon Government Order)

The administration may require the auditor to correct audits found to be of poor quality. The administration informs the auditor of the error found and instructs the auditor to correct it within a period determined by the administration, which may not exceed three months. In turn, the auditor informs the person who ordered the audit of the error and provides the corrected version.

Sanctions (Articles 26, 27 and 28 of the Walloon Government Order)

There are three types of sanctions: a warning, suspension and withdrawal of accreditation.

The breaches concerned are:

• poor quality of the audits, notable in particular through:
• shortcomings in the quality and completeness of the data collected or the results;
• shortcomings in the quality, feasibility and consistency of the proposed improvements included in the recommendations;
• a failure to comply with the obligations set out in Articles 8 and 23 to 25 of the aforementioned Walloon Government Order.

In the event of suspension or withdrawal of accreditation, the auditor shall, within 30 days of notification of the decision, inform all applicants with whom contracts for the performance of an audit are in progress.

• 13th october 2022 - Decree UREBA (available only in French)