A Guide To Energy Performance Certificates

An energy performance certificate is a measure of a buildings energy performance required by law since October 2008 under the EUs Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Each commercial building is rated on a scale of A to G, with A rated buildings being the most efficient and G the least. At present, the average rating of a commercial building is within the D category.

Almost half of the UKs carbon emissions are produced by buildings, a figure almost twice the amount produced by cars and aircraft. It is because of this that EPC certificates have been introduced, with the aim of reducing the energy consumption and improving the energy efficiency of commercial buildings.

EPC certificates were introduced to improve a buildings energy efficiency and take in to account the buildings CO2 emissions and compare them against a benchmark rating of what a typical building would emit. Valid for ten years, an EPC certificate is required for any commercial building or dwelling that is being marketed, sold or rented, as do any newly constructed buildings or dwellings. Public buildings in Scotland with more than 1000m2 of floor space also require an energy performance certificate.

EPC certificates can only be issued by accredited EPC companies or EPC contractors, who will assess the buildings efficiency according to the thermal characteristics of the building, heating and hot water systems, internal measurements, air conditioning, lighting, ventilation and the natural position of the building which includes natural ventilation and internal climates. In addition to being awarded an efficiency rating, each energy certificate comes with a recommendation report detailing improvements that can be made to improve the buildings efficiency. Each aspect of the report is broken down in to short, medium, and long term improvements, detailing the potential savings that can be made by implementing the suggested changes.

Ultimately, it is the vendors responsibility to provide an energy performance certificate before it can be sold, marketed or rented. Buildings marketed, sold or rented without a valid EPC certificate can be fined 12.5% of the rateable value of the land, with a minimum fine of 500 and a maximum of 5000, and are liable to continuous fining until they are granted an EPC.

When looking to obtain an energy performance certificate for your building, you must ensure that the EPC company and its contractors are fully qualified. The EPC contractors will then arrange a visit to your premises where they will assess your building, produce a detailed report, certificate and recommendations. The time and cost of an EPC inspection will vary depending on the size of your premises and the number of floors.

Once you have been issued with an energy performance certificate, report and recommendations, the certificate is recorded within a publicly accessible database and will be need to be presented when the building is to be sold or rented in the future.

British Gas Business offer a range of products and services tailored to the business market, including fixed price energy contracts, boiler and central heating services, an online business insurance comparison service, and a connections and metering service for new energy supplies, conversions and upgrades.