Data Quality

Complete and robust data

Public sector organisations are responsible for ensuring that they submit complete and robust data each year. Estimates based on sound professional judgement are acceptable in specific limited circumstances.

As much as is practical, the data submitted must also be verifiable. You should be able to provide documented evidence in support of submitted data. This could range from bills to internal records. You must retain concise and clear records of any calculations used to determine quantities reported through the M&R system.

You are likely to be asked to provide the relevant calculations as evidence during a data verification assessment (DVA). The DVA process is a key element in SEAI's approach for maintaining M&R data quality. SEAI's assessment of your data quality has implications for how SEAI lists your organisation and your data in its publications.

Complete reports

SEAI's general approach for classifying the quality of data submissions and the findings of DVAs, and for publishing savings results, is set out below. The vast majority of organisations submit complete reports every year to SEAI.

If you submit a complete report that is either not selected for DVA or is selected and passes the assessment, then your organisation is listed (published) by SEAI along with its performance score.

Data errors identified through DVA

If your report is selected for DVA and a data error is identified, the implications are dependent on the scale of the error.

Minor errors or omissions

If the error or omission in your data is relatively minor, then you will be given an opportunity to submit additional data by a tight deadline. Your organisation’s scorecard will be calculated in the normal way, and will be listed (published) as having submitted a complete report.

Major errors or omissions

If the error or omission in your data is more significant (major), then your organisation will be given an opportunity to submit additional data (by a tight deadline). Your organisation’s scorecard will be calculated in the normal way. However, your organisation’s listing in SEAI’s publications will be annotated with a note highlighting that SEAI identified a data quality issue with your submission.

Incomplete data and reports

The following outlines the treatment of incomplete and non-submitted reports.

Incomplete DVA

If the DVA is deemed to be incomplete, your organisation’s scorecard will be calculated in the normal way. However, your organisation’s listing in SEAI’s publications will be annotated with a note highlighting that SEAI identified a data quality issue with your submission.

Incomplete reports

If your organisation does not submit sufficient data to enable the M&R system to calculate a performance result for the reporting year, no scorecard can be produced. Your organisation will be listed (published) by SEAI as not having submitted a report.

Non-submittal of reports

If your organisation does not submit any data, it will be listed (published) by SEAI accordingly. No scorecard will be produced.