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What
is an EPC and what does it mean?
The
Energy Performance Certificate looks broadly similar
to the energy labels now provided with vehicles
and many household appliances. Its purpose is
to indicate how energy efficient a building is.
The certificate will provide an energy rating
of the building from A to G, where A is very efficient
and G is the least efficient. The better the rating,
the more energy-efficient the building is, and
the lower the fuel bills are likely to be. The
energy performance of the building is shown as
a Carbon Dioxide (CO2) based index.
Each energy rating is based on
the characteristics of the building itself and
its services (such as heating and lighting). Hence
this type of rating is known as an asset rating.
The asset ratings will reflect considerations
including the age and condition of the building.
It is accompanied by a recommendation report,
which provides recommendations on using the building
more effectively, cost effective improvements
to the building and other more expensive improvements
which could enhance the building’s energy
performance.
Why
energy performance certificates are required
An EPC is intended
to inform potential buyers or tenants about the
energy performance of a building, so they can
consider energy efficiency as part of their investment
or business decision to buy or occupy that building.
An EPC will provide an energy rating for a building
which is based on the performance potential of
the building itself (the fabric) and its services
(such as heating, ventilation and lighting). The
energy rating given on the certificate reflects
the intrinsic energy performance standard of the
building relative to a benchmark which can then
be used to make comparisons with comparable properties.
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Buildings
requiring an energy performance Certificate
An
EPC is only required for a building when constructed,
sold or let. For the purposes of the regulations,
a building is defined as:
“a
roofed construction having walls, for which energy
is used to condition the indoor climate, and a
reference to a building includes a reference to
a part of a building which has been designed or
altered to be used separately”.
For
a building to fall within the requirement for
an EPC it must:
•
have a roof and walls
• use energy to condition the indoor climate
Services
that are considered to condition the indoor climate
are the following fixed services: heating, mechanical
ventilation or air-conditioning. Although the
provision of hot water is a fixed building service,
it does not “condition the indoor environment”
and would not therefore be a trigger for an EPC.
The same argument applies to electric lighting.
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