This was created to support UK building energy performance assessments that are produced using the National Calculation Methodologies for energy rating buildings (NCMs). The NCMs are a range of assessment methodologies comprising: the Standard Assessment Procedure for Energy Rating of Dwellings (SAP), Reduced Data SAP (RdSAP), which is used to assess existing dwellings, and the Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM)*, which is used to assess non-domestic buildings. It also supports assessments undertaken using the BREDEM (BRE Domestic Energy Model) assessment methodology, the parent methodology upon which SAP and RdSAP are based.

Building energy assessment methodologies are used to deliver multiple Government policy initiatives. These range from Building Regulation compliance checks and the production of Energy Performance Certificates, which satisfy the UK’s obligations under the European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), to supporting the Green Deal and Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) schemes by enabling the differentiation of improvements measures. Assessing the performance of a measure is complex and it may not always be possible to describe in terms of a simple number for comparison purposes. In such instances the assessment of performance is only possible using building energy performance assessments that utilise specific product performance data.

In order to assess a building's energy performance, information is needed that describes the energy performance of the building fabric and building services. Such product performance data is either generic, determined by the materials and type of product used (‘type data’) or specific, where validated individual branded product performance data has been made available (‘product data’).

Product performance data is normally held in the Product Characteristics Database (PCDB), which can be accessed from this website.

Typically, the performance of a product recognised as a new technology is initially assessed using data held in the Appendix Q database, which can also be accessed from this website, and undertaken as an adjunct to the SAP assessment. Consequently, this information cannot currently be used in RdSAP assessments, which is a simplified version of the SAP assessment developed for assessing existing dwellings. Product performance data held in the SAP Appendix Q database will generally migrate to the PCDB when a new version of SAP/RdSAP is released, enabling RdSAP assessors to access this data. Product performance data will remain in the Appendix Q database until obsolete versions of SAP have been withdrawn or where it is impractical to include it within the PCDB.

The listing of product performance data in the databases does not denote any form of approval or endorsement of that product, actual or implied, nor does it imply that the building’s energy performance rating is better than that obtained using alternative products.
Product performance data held in the databases is provided solely to support building energy performance assessments and is not intended to support the marketing efforts of manufacturers. To this end, the Terms and Conditions applicable to the listing of individual branded product performance information outline how product data listed in the databases can be referenced in marketing and promotional material.

All manufacturers and suppliers who apply for their products to be listed in the databases must submit validated evidence of performance (UKAS or equivalent), produced by testing against an agreed test specification, and agree to be bound by the Terms and Conditions applicable to the listing of individual branded product performance information.

*Whilst this website contains no specific data supporting SBEM assessments at the present time, SBEM assessors may utilise data held within the PCDB for assessments as necessary.

SAP Appendix Q Website Link:
http://www.ncm-pcdb.org.uk/sap/