EPCs - Energy Performance Certificates

From 1 October 2008, almost all commercial properties over 50 sm which are to be sold or let require an Energy Performance Certificate. This certificate must be commissioned before any marketing of the property can take place and must be made available free of charge to all interested parties.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are intended to allow potential purchasers of property, or ingoing tenants, to make informed decisions about the energy costs of occupying that property. As energy costs rise they will have serious implications for the value of property.

EPCs are prepared using specialist software that compares the energy consumption of the building, based on details of its construction, use and services, with a model property built in accordance with current requirements. The EPC is accompanied by a Recommendations Report setting out cost effective works that can be done to the building in order to improve its energy rating.

Paul Stevens of Stratton Creber Commercials’ Plymouth office is qualified through the RICS to produce EPCs on Level 3 and Level 4 buildings.

The same legislation that brought in EPCs requires Public Authorities and institutions providing public services to a large number of people to display a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) at all times in any buildings of over 1,000 sm. A DEC is a record of the energy actually used by the building over the three year period.

Further information on EPCs is available on www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/nondwellingsguidance.pdf

Stratton Creber have however produced a simplified guide, available on request, that provides a summary of this information

Further guidance on how to reduce the energy requirement of buildings is available at

http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy/default.htm

For further information, to obtain a summary guide to EPCs, or to enquire about commissioning an EPC contact Paul Stevens at our Plymouth office.