energyperformance

Decisions, decisions! Our lives are full of them, from the minute and commonplace, for example, what to eat, to the crucial, such as what Commercial Energy Performance Certificate Assessors to purchase.A proactive approach to EPC compliance means having them in advance of the trigger points at which they would be needed. For example, if a landlord has a block with a high turnover of tenants, then producing EPCs in advance of the requirement will mean that these are on hand to give to new tenants as they are offered accommodation and will reduce any impact on void times. It should be borne in mind however that a proactive approach typically requires surveys of tenanted properties and if any difficulties are encountered in gaining access, the need to make repeat visits could increase costs. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) states that buildings constructed, sold or offered for rent require a valid Energy Performance Certificate or EPC. An Energy performance Certificate is required whenever a property is marketed for sale or rent. The EPC is lodged on to the central government register by an accredited Assessor. The EPC is valid for 10 years. The built environment has been identified by government as a major contributor to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and thus poses a threat to the UK meeting its carbon reduction targets for 2020 and 2050. Government estimates that 18% of commercial properties hold the lowest EPC ratings of F or G. While Building Regulations ensure that new properties meet current energy efficiency standards, MEES will tackle the UK's older buildings. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) of 2002 requires that all existing Domestic & Commercial properties that are to be sold, rented or leased require an EPC or Energy Performance Certificate for the property. Additionally, for new housing a SAP calculation or Standard Assessment Procedure is required and for commercial properties a BRUKL Report or Building Regulations UK, Part L (or SBEM Calculation) is required. If you want to improve your EPC rating, the EPC report provides a list of energy efficient ideas for your home that could help improve it. This includes estimated costs, savings and how much each measure could improve the EPC rating. They are shown in order of importance, and the benefits are based on making the improvements in the order they appear in the report. MEES regulations apply to all commercial buildings and a non-domestic EPC is required to show that a building meets the minimum energy efficiency rating standard of ‘E’. Every time a commercial building is sold, leased or constructed a new commercial Energy Performance Certificate is required. All EPC’s are lodged with a central government register called the EPC register. Once in this site, you can search for any available EPC’s by selecting ‘retrieve report by using property address’ and enter the postcode. From here any EPC’s can be downloaded and are for public use. The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) was launched in April 2018. This requires all rented or sold properties in England and Wales to have a minimum EPC rating of ‘E’ or above. In December 2020, the government announced yet another change to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. They proposed that all rental properties will need an EPC rating of ‘C’ or above by 2025. Most commercial properties require a non-domestic EPC at the time they are let or sold, however there are a few exceptions so do contact us and we would be happy to advise. An EPC can also be used to provide an indication of how energy efficient the building is and how it can be improved. An EPC is a home energy survey that shows you how energy efficient your home is and includes a list of recommendations on how to improve your energy efficiency. It’s a legal requirement to have an EPC if you're selling, leasing or renting a property. But even if you're not selling your home, it's worth having a look at your property's EPC to find out what you can do to reduce your energy bills and carbon emissions. A solid understanding of mees regulations makes any related process simple and hassle free. Typical New Build RatingA commercial EPC is a valuable document that provides a detailed overview of the energy performance of your property. The recommendations provided on an EPC will enable you to create a more efficient building by carrying out energy improvements on your property. Having a good energy efficiency rating can also be an effective way to attract buyers or tenants as it means lower fuel costs for them in the future. Trading Standards may give a penalty charge for a breach of the duty to provide EPCs and recommendation reports to prospective tenants. The penalty charge notice cannot be issued more than six months after the date of the breach. The amount of the penalty charge varies in relation to the circumstances, as specified in the regulations. Around half of UK homes currently have an EPC rating of D. Improving your home’s EPC rating can increase it’s asking price by an average of 6% – there are regional variations, though, and EPCs have less influence on prices in the South East, as demand for houses is so high here. There are a handful of scenarios under which you would not require an EPC. For example, if your property is listed, protected, or in conservation area, some energy-efficient improvements could unacceptably alter the appearance of the property. If you’re in doubt, check with the local authority’s conservation officer. The Minimum Energy efficiency Standards (MEES) legislation requires a rating of level E or better for domestic and commercial rented properties, this is confirmed by the EPC, and if the rating is below E then actions to take to improve the energy performance of the building can be implemented. Research around mees remains patchy at times.From 1 October 2008, a rented property was required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) prepared by an accredited Energy Assessor and be provided to any prospective tenant. There was no need to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate for an existing tenancy. Once obtained, a certificate remains valid for up to 10 years. If a valid Energy Performance Certificate still exists when changing tenants no new certificate is required. This applies to both private and social sector landlords and tenants. A DEC shows the operational rating of the building and must be updated either annually (if floor area is in excess of 1,000 m²) or every 10 years (if floor areas is above 250m² and below 1,000m²). The rating is scored from an ‘A’ for very efficient through to a ‘G’ for inefficient. The DEC must also be made clearly visible to members of the public who use the building. MEES regulations set a minimum energy efficiency level for domestic, private rented properties – if your property’s EPC rating is E or above, you’re compliant with the regulations and can breathe a sigh of relief – at least for now. Commercial EPCs look at the size and complexity of the building and understand the buildings size & usage in terms of activity. As well as how the building is constructed, any HVAC present and insulation levels. If you have any documentation pertaining to any of these elements it would be very helpful for calculating and producing an accurate Energy Efficiency Rating for your building. An EPC provides the building owner, or would-be buyers and tenants, with insights into possible measures to improve the energy performance and the estimated cost of running the building. Figure 1 (right) visualises how the ratings are shown on the EPC with the potential rating highlighting what rating could be achieved if the improvement measures are installed. A well-thought-out strategy appertaining to non domestic epc register can offer leaps and bounds in improvements.Independent ServiceMaking your home more energy efficient has a variety of benefits. It will not only help to reduce your carbon footprint, which is a crucial step in helping to tackle the climate emergency, but it could save you hundreds of pounds on your energy bills and help you to keep a warmer, happier, healthier home. You can be fined between £500 and £5,000 based on the rateable value of the building if you do not make an EPC available to any prospective buyer or tenant. An EPC estimates primary energy consumption and associated emissions for only certain elements of a property, so does not represent all emissions. Notably it does not include emissions from domestic sources such as cooking, white goods and entertainment. Primary energy sources can be: electricity from the grid, mains gas or LPG; heating oil; coal; and biomass. On-site renewable generation estimates are used to offset these. Energy assessment for EPC is non-invasive. If roof, floor or wall insulation is to be taken into account during energy efficiency testing, there should be documentary or visual evidence to support. In the absence of this, it cannot be included. An EPC is designed to illustrate to prospective buyers or tenants how energy efficient a building is by assigning a rating which is measured on a scale; with A-rated properties representing the most efficient and G-rated the least. Furthermore, the certificate will contain recommendations for cost-effective improvements advising how to improve the energy efficiency of the building and reduce fuel bills. Advising on matters such as commercial epc will provide benefits in the long run.The government’s plans to ensure homes are upgraded beyond a C rating automatically makes those above this level more appealing to would-be buyers as they won’t be beholden to potentially costly improvements. Plus, people are increasingly aware of the money-saving benefits of living in an energy efficient home. Research from moneysupermarket.com shows that the average English home could be worth as much as 14% more if it was upgraded to an A rating. The processes involved in undertaking a commercial EPC are fundamentally the same a domestic EPC, however a major difference is that the building needs to be divided into different ‘zones’ dependant on the activities conducted in the zones (ie office space, kitchen, storage area etc). Obtaining an EPC rating of at least “C” and, ultimately “, B” will undoubtedly be challenging. So, you’ll need to use the available resources effectively and implement the recommendations in your EPC report. Currently, £3500 is the maximum amount spent on energy efficiency. This limit will increase to £10,000 when the minimum required EPC rating increases. Through the Green Homes Grant, the government assists landlords in covering a portion of the expenditures. This grant covers approximately two-thirds of the costs up to £5000. The requirement for an EPC has been set by a European Directive which all member states have to implement. It is one part of a number of measures to improve energy efficiency and cut down carbon emissions. Since 2009 Commercial EPCs are now a requirement for all non domestic properties for sale, to let and on construction. A Non-Domestic EPC is more complicated than its domestic counterpart and involves more data and detailed information about the buildings thermal elements and HVAC systems where applicable. Conducting viability appraisals with respect to epc commercial property is useful from the outset of any project. Energy Performance Related FeaturesA penalty for failing to produce a valid commercial EPC to any prospective buyer or tenant when selling or letting non-dwellings is fixed, in most cases, at 12.5% of the rateable value of the building. In addition, there is a minimum fine of £500 and a maximum penalty of £5,000. Where the above formula can’t be applied to a case, there is a default £750 fine. Most modern homes have double glazing installed, but if you live in an older property, a few thousand pounds spent on new, energy efficient window units could improve your EPC rating and save you money on your bills. An EPC will show you how much the energy bills for the property will likely cost you, and give you an estimate of how much lower these could be if you improved its energy efficiency. The figures provided for energy use and potential savings are estimates for a typical household in that property – it won't take account of your current energy use. You can get supplementary facts on the topic of Commercial Energy Performance Certificate Assessors on this UK Government Website entry.Related Articles:Additional Findings On Non-Domestic EPC ContractorsAdditional Findings About Fully Accredited Commercial Energy AssessorsAdditional Findings With Regard To Non-Domestic Energy Performance AssessorsAdditional Information About Commercial and Domestic EPC AssessorsMore Insight About Commercial Energy Performance Certificate ContractorsExtra Insight About Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate AssessorsMore Background Information About Low Carbon Energy Assessors

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