Importance Of EPCs And How They Can Help Improve Energy Efficiency

Gas and electricity are the basic facilities that any building must have, whether domestic or commercial. At the same time, it is equally important to use these resources in a way to avoid wastage and overbilling.  

The authorities have formulated various regulations and laws to ensure the optimum utilization of energy resources. Every building owner is bound to comply with these regulations. Getting an EPC is one of these regulations. Every building owner must obtain this certificate before he can use his building for any domestic or commercial activity.

You are legally bound to show the EPC whenever you build a new property, sell or buy or rent out a property. That's why every property owner needs to have a valid EPC in hand at all times to avoid any possible legal complications.

What Is An EPC?

EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. It is a document that assesses the energy efficiency level of any building. It also provides the home energy assessment for domestic property.

The EPCs have information about energy usage and its potential cost in a particular property, whether used for domestic or commercial purposes. It also recommends how that building can reduce costs by adopting energy-saving measures. It also details possible carbon dioxide emissions while using heating and cooling systems in that property. 

An EPC categorizes the property by giving an energy efficiency rating. These ratings are from A to G. A stands for the most efficient and is assigned green color. G means inefficient or least efficient and is marked red. A property's energy efficiency must have a minimum E rating if you want to rent out or sell that property. Any rating below E means your property is not energy efficient and needs improvement.

This certificate is valid for ten years.

Is Any Property Exempted From Having An EPC?

As per law, the following building do not require EPC

1. A property intended to be used for not more than two years
2. Buildings used for religious activities or worship
3. Any building that is used for a non-residential purpose and does not use energy in bulk, may that be an industrial unit or any workshop
4. A building having less than 50 square meters of floor space
5. Any building that is used for residential purposes for less than four months in a calendar year
6. Any building that is not in use currently and is planned to be demolished

Importance Of EPCs And Their Role In Improving The Energy Efficiency

EPCs are important in many ways to help you improve a property's energy efficiency.

1. First of all, it is a legal requirement and every building owner is bound to have a valid EPC if he/she wants to sell or rent out his / her property. It is also compulsory for a newly built property. You may face consequences, including huge penalties if you cannot show a valid EPC.
2. EPCs rank your property regarding energy efficiency and the potential energy cost. This helps both the owners and the potential buyers or tenants to reach a workable contract. The high ranking may help you get a better buyer or tenant on realistic terms.
3. An EPC can be a key factor in determining the value of your property. An energy-efficient building will get more value as compared to a building that is rated as energy inefficient.
4. EPCs also give recommendations on how you can improve the energy performance of your building. By adopting the measures suggested in EPC, you can improve the energy performance rating of your building.
5. The use of energy for heating and cooling a building involves the generation of carbon dioxide. EPCs tell the level of emission of this harmful gas. It also recommends how this can be reduced. By implementing the suggested measures, carbon dioxide generation in your building can be minimized. EPCs, therefore, play their role in environmental conservation.
6. In the UK, authorities are urging homeowners to use energy efficiently and minimize energy wastage. They also emphasize using alternative energy resources. This has made it imperative for the building owners, prospective buyers, and tenants to rely more on energy performance certificates.
7. It may help reduce your energy bills. By implementing the recommendations of EPCs, you can minimize the running cost of your property.    
8. It also impacts the safety of your property and the lives of the people using that property.

Who Is Authorized To Issue EPCs?

The first step is to call an accredited assessor to get a valid energy performance certificate for your building. The assessor must be listed on an accredited assessor's scheme.

The assessor will visit your property and will carry out a detailed survey of your property. The accredited assessor will then produce the required EPC for your building. There is a different procedure for getting this certificate in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK.

For England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, you can follow EPCs in England to get a valid EPC. For Scotland, you may follow the link EPCs in Scotland. You will find the accredited assessors on these links who are authorized to issue EPCs in their respective areas of jurisdiction. Remember, only an accredited assessor is authorized to produce the EPCs after assessing the energy performance of any property.

Conclusion

An energy performance certificate, commonly known as EPC is an important document in hand with all property owners. This has been made compulsory for all buildings through a regulation enforced in the UK recently.

EPCs assess your property's efficiency in using energy sources such as gas and electricity. It also gives recommendations to improve the efficiency of your building. You can implement these recommendations to improve the energy efficiency rating of your building.

Apart from being legally binding, EPCs also play a key role in reducing the cost of using various energy resources. It also helps enhance the value of your property. So, whenever you plan to build a new property, sell an existing property, or rent out any property, you will first have to obtain a valid Energy Performance Certificate from the accredited assessor.

Don't forget to get the one for your property right now if not already obtained. Also, remember it is valid for ten years. If its expiry date is nearing, you need to take immediate action to get a new one.