Houses being sold or rented will need an energy audit from 2006

EVERY house and commercial property must have an energy audit completed before it is bought or sold from 2006, it emerged yesterday.

A new EU directive will make it mandatory for anyone selling or renting a building to carry out this energy audit from January 4, 2006.

Owners will also have to display an energy label which will tell the potential buyer or tenant how the building scored on an A-F rating, according to Construct Ireland editor Jeff Colley.