Exactly what is meaty about Commercial EPC Assessors today?

It’s evident that a range of options are available when it comes to improving the energy efficiency of your home. From the hassle-free and cheaper options like switching to LEDs, to the more costly but effective methods such as replacing an old boiler, there are routes to energy efficiency everywhere you turn. Whichever you choose, you can always find a way to slash your energy bills and create a cleaner, more energy efficient house. As soon as a building is in the process of being offered for sale or rent, it is the responsibility of the seller or landlord to make available an EPC to any prospective buyer or tenant. The landlord or seller is legally required to provide an EPC as soon as possible. Before a building is put on the market the seller or landlord must commission an EPC for the building. EPC checkups offer a great opportunity to look for better appliances and technologies that are a perfect addition to the building and bring down its energy cost. The EPC inspection document offers detailed written information on the energy usage of a commercial building, making it easy to come up with energy-efficient solutions. An EPC assessment usually takes around 30-45 minutes depending on the shape and size of the property. It is a non-intrusive inspection but I will need access to the heating systems such as the boiler and also the hot water tank (if the home has one). Access to the loft space if the property has a pitched roof with loft insulation is required for a visual inspection of the insulation depth. I will need to take a number of photographs of the key energy features of the property internally and externally for audit purposes only. The EPC assessor will check the number of fixed lighting and low-energy light bulbs in the house, and find out what percentage of the lights are energy-efficient. There’s a wide range of LED lights available, and opting to use them than the usual halogen bulb will improve your home’s efficiency. Properties that do not require an EPC under current regulations will not be required to meet MEES. Moreover MEES does not apply to short lettings (6 months or less) and lettings over 99 years or more. Financial penalties for non compliance are linked to the rateable value of the property, but could be as much as £150,000.



It’s easy to find out if your property already has a valid EPC by checking the government’s EPC register in England and Wales. For properties in Scotland check the Scottish EPC register and similarly the Northern Ireland EPC register. EPCs last for 10 years. If you’re selling your property and your EPC is still valid, you don’t need to do anything other than provide the EPC to your buyer. For landlords renting out a property, you also have to provide a valid EPC for your tenants and your property must have at least an E rating in order for it to be legally let. If your EPC has expired, or you’ve never had an assessment carried out, you’ll need to arrange one before you can legally market your property for sale or for rent. Whilst EPCs are only needed when a building is being sold, rented or constructed, Display Energy Certificates are needed all year round for public buildings. The Display Energy Certificate gives you proof on the energy efficiency of your property in addition to showing any areas of potentially savings on energy costs. A MEES report is not a document that is required or recognised by any legal entities, however it is a service offered by some EPC and property management companies. An assessor can perform a site visit or do some data collection, and produce a document estimating your current EPC grade, along with suggestions of how to raise it above the required level. Formulating opinions on matters such as mees can be a time consuming process.

Energy In Buildings Legislation

Since April 2018 all commercial and domestic buildings have been required to have at least an E rating on their EPC before they may be leased to tenants. Because of this legislation many banks and financial institutions are now also insisting that properties for sale must achieve this rating before they will carry out financial transactions such as mortgages or ownership changes. Commercial EPCs are valid for 10 years from the time when they are produced. Any new EPC produced after the original simply replaces it. A property can only have one valid commercial EPC at any one moment. Please note if the building goes through a significant update, i.e. change of use, changes to the fabric, significant extension additions to the property and/or changes to the provision of fixed services then a new EPC will have to be produced. Once issued, an Energy Performance Certificate is valid for 10 years. In that time, you can use the EPC multiple times for the same property if you wish to rent out to different tenants. After 10 years, the EPC has expired and you will need to follow the process again, to get a newly valid Energy Performance Certificate. Energy has emerged as a critical economic issue and top priority for policymakers. Unsustainable energy supply and demand have serious implications for everything from household budgets to international relations. Buildings are on the front line of this issue because of their high consumption of energy. Studies have repeatedly shown that efficient buildings and appropriate land use offer opportunities to save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. An Energy Performance Certificate is produced by a certified Domestic Energy Assessor, and it rates a property’s efficiency from A to G, A being the most efficient and G the least. The score achieved is generated based on the property’s construction, type of dwelling, type of boiler, insulation, double glazing and heating systems. The certificate also contains recommendation of measures that can be taken to improve the property’s energy efficiency and gives estimates for fuel costs. Once issued, an EPC is valid for 10 years. There are multiple approaches to facilitating a epc commercial property in the workplace.

Climate change, preserving the environment and cutting energy costs are all at the forefront of our minds, and rightly so. As the Government seeks to encourage us all to do our bit through the shake-up of the EPC regulations over the next few years, the necessary changes to improve the energy efficiency of our commercial properties may seem like a mountain to climb. Making a start now will help to spread the cost out, ensuring that we’re compliant by 2030. Understanding energy performance certificates is key for those who own a home, and those wanting to buy one. EPCs are becoming more and more significant as the government continues to review energy legislation and strive for net-zero carbon emissions across the UK. Please note that the estimated energy costs calculated in an EPC do not include the running costs of appliances such as televisions, computers, washing machines, dishwashers, cookers nor electricity produced by microgeneration (e.g. solar PV panels). Estimated energy costs are an estimate of average total yearly energy, and not specific to how energy is used by the occupants of the property. EPCs are assessed by way of a rating system, ranging from Class A (very efficient) to Class G (very inefficient). The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) currently provide that no building with an EPC rating within Classes F & G can be legally let without works to improve the energy efficiency of the building to a rating within Class E or above being undertaken. An EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from ‘A’ (the most efficient) to ‘G’ (the least efficient) and remains usable for ten years. Since the introduction of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), the lowest rating a potential rental property can rank is ‘E’. Any properties rate ‘F’ or ‘G’ are prohibited under MEES legislation from being rented. You may be asking yourself how does a commercial epc fit into all of this?

A Renewable Boost

As of the 1st April 2020, any landlord who rents out a property with an EPC rating of F or G can expect a civil penalty for non-compliance with the new Domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) government regulations. The resulting fine can be as much as £5,000. EPC surveys are non-invasive. That means that if you have loft insulation, for example, the surveyor must be able to easily get up there to see in order to lodge it. They cannot take your word for it, and they can’t make boreholes to check for cavity wall insulation or cause any damage. If you have any work that you think should be included on the EPC that the assessor will not be able to easily see or access, paperwork like invoices or warranties can be used to prove the existence of it and get it included on the survey. The accuracy of EPCs varies. This poses serious implications for legislation and how we measure energy and carbon savings from energy efficiency improvements. Achieving a high EE rating on an EPC doesn’t necessarily equate to optimum low energy consumption and carbon reduction in practice. This has been attributed to many factors such as limitations and assumptions in the national calculation methodology, out of date information on volatile fuel prices and poor practice, all contributing to EPC inconsistencies and inaccuracies. The recommendation report on an EPC provides recommendations on using the building more effectively, cost effective improvements and other more expensive improvements which could enhance the building’s energy performance. Essentially, an EPC shows how energy-efficient your property is. That’s a handy thing to know when you’re hoping to reduce your energy waste, lower your carbon emissions, and cut your bills. Your EPC also includes an overall rating for your property, from A to G. A is the most efficient, which usually means cheaper fuel bills. G, on the other hand, is the least efficient. A service such as a non domestic epc register is an invaluable asset in the heady world of business.

Some buildings do not require an EPC. These include, buildings under construction, places of worship, properties due for demolition, buildings having an area less than 50 m2, industrial sites and agricultural buildings, lease surrenders, etc. An EPC assessor will provide you with a thorough and detailed analysis of the building’s energy efficiency, which will result in a final energy efficiency rating from A to G, G being the least efficient and A the most. A separate report will list the different ways the energy efficiency of the property can be improved. Replacing existing lighting with LEDs is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to improve an EPC rating. Of course, the extent of improvement will depend on what’s already in situ. Where a building has very old fluorescent lighting, replacing it with LEDS will likely mean a big win. But LEDs will be an advantage to any building. What is not so well known is that an EPC can be of considerable worth outside of regulatory requirements, and can offer valuable guidance on where improvements can be made both on emissions and on costs. An EPC includes recommendations to help owners and occupiers to improve the energy efficiency of a building. The recommendations include cost effective improvements and further improvements (that achieve higher standards but are not necessarily cost effective). For each recommendation the indicative cost, typical cost savings and the performance rating after improvement are listed. Maximising potential for mees regulations isn't the same as meeting client requirements and expectations.

Stabilise Electricity Prices

With today’s importance on environmental consciousness, energy efficient homes are achieving higher prices on the property market. Energy efficient homes are priced at a premium because their ‘green’ upgrades offer both reduced utility bills and avoided maintenance expenses. These higher premiums also reflect the improved quality of life that green upgrades can offer homeowners, from health benefits to enhanced in-home comfort. Residential energy efficiency is an investment that yields financial benefits in the form of both immediate monthly savings as well as future profits when the house has been sold. The government is becoming more concerned about ‘rogue’ landlords who are not concerned with the quality of the property they house tenants in. As such, in an attempt to make being a landlord more professional, a number of different initiatives are being brought in. Ensuring that a property is energy efficient not only means that the property itself is being well looked after and is at a decent standard, but that tenants are not spending unnecessarily on high energy bills. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) shows information about a property’s energy usage and typical energy costs. It provides ratings from A to G showing the current and potential energy ratings for the property as well as recommendations on improving its energy efficiency. You can also find the environmental impact of a property which is measured in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. You can check out further details regarding Commercial EPC Assessors on this UK Government Website article.

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