BRL 9500 requirements for EP advisors and companies
BRL 9500 sets requirements for two things: the person who carries out the assessment, and the company that person works for. The person must be professionally competent, after training and an exam. The company must show that it works according to the guideline, with a quality manual and an assessment. This is set out in the assessment guideline and explained by RVO (the Netherlands Enterprise Agency) and Kiwa .
Which requirements apply to you depends on your role. If you only carry out the assessment, the requirements are mainly personal. If you run a company, the requirements are mainly for the company. Who needs the certificate helps you determine your role.
Requirements for the person concern knowledge and further training. Requirements for the company concern working methods and demonstrable compliance.
Requirements at a glance
| Topic | For the person (EP advisor) | For the company |
|---|---|---|
| Training | Training of 4 to 6 days on average, with a training provider | Competent advisors employed or linked to the company |
| Exam | National exam at Cito, ‘t Examenpark or SNEI | Not applicable |
| Category | EP-W/B, EP-W/D, EP-U/B or EP-U/D | Certificate for BRL 9500-W, BRL 9500-U or both |
| Link | Employment, cooperation or licence agreement with a certified company | The advisors who work under the company certificate |
| Quality | Working according to BRL 9500 and NTA 8800 | Quality manual based on BRL 9500-W and/or -U |
| Assessment | No separate assessment | Admission audit by the certification body |
| Further training | Mandatory further training every year | Continued work according to the manual |
| Registration | Registering labels in EP-Online | Having labels registered through the advisor |
That table gives the overview. The details for each item follow below.
Requirements for the person
The person must first complete training. RVO states that training takes 4 to 6 days on average. They then take the exam at one of the exam institutes: Cito, ‘t Examenpark or SNEI. InstallQ has accredited these institutes.
The exam determines the category. RVO lists four categories:
- EP-W/B: dwellings, basic method
- EP-W/D: dwellings, detailed method, and also competent for EP-W/B
- EP-U/B: non-residential buildings, basic method, and also competent for EP-W/B
- EP-U/D: non-residential buildings, detailed method, and also competent for EP-U/B, EP-W/B and EP-W/D
An EP-U/D advisor may therefore also carry out basic assessments. You can read more about the difference between basic and detailed assessments on basic versus detailed assessment.
The advisor must then be linked to a certified company. Kiwa mentions an employment, cooperation or licence agreement for this. RVO also mentions the route through a certified umbrella organisation.
The advisor must complete further training every year. RVO states that all EP advisors do this each year to maintain their professional competence. The further training is provided by training providers and exam institutes that InstallQ has accredited.
Further training is mandatory every year. Put it in your diary every year, the same as your insurance.
Requirements for the company
The company must write a quality manual. That manual is based on BRL 9500-W, BRL 9500-U or both. Kiwa describes this step as the start of the certification process. The manual describes how the company works, from the assessment to registering the label.
After that comes the admission audit. According to Kiwa, the auditor checks two projects per sub-area. One project is assessed on file and one project on site. The auditor also checks whether the company actually uses the manual.
An advisor must work for a certified company or a certified umbrella organisation, RVO states. For the calculation software, BRL 9501 applies. That software must be certified.
Example: an office that wants BRL 9500-U
This example is fictional. Energieadvies Brink B.V. is an office with three advisors. Two of them hold the EP-U/B category, and one holds EP-U/D. The office wants a BRL 9500-U certificate.
The office first writes a quality manual. It states how an advisor carries out the assessment, how they use the calculation software and who registers the label. The office then registers with a certification body. The auditor chooses two projects per sub-area and checks whether the working method is correct. Only then does the office receive the certificate.
Frequently asked questions
How long do the training and the exam take?
RVO states that training takes 4 to 6 days on average. The exam is a separate moment after that. You agree the schedule and the exact duration with the training provider. See also the step-by-step plan.
Does an advisor need work experience?
Work experience is not part of the training that RVO mentions. Ask the training provider or the certification body about the current admission requirements for your category.
Which category should I choose?
That depends on the building and the work. A dwelling requires EP-W and an office or shop requires EP-U. If you also want to calculate new builds with the detailed method, choose the D variant. See also dwelling or non-residential building.