It’s been over 10 years since the legislation was brought in to make Energy Performance Certificates (EPC Reports) a legal requirement for the marketing of any standalone building over 50m². But what exactly are they?
This article is going to explain what an EPC Report describes and why it is important, not only for property owners but for the inhabitants too.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
An Energy Performance Certificate details the energy efficiency of a building. It is produced by an accredited Energy Assessor who visits the property and conducts a visual and measured survey. By analysing different aspects of the property that affect energy consumption, such as windows and heating, they can measure the EPC rating.
What is Detailed on an EPC Report?
All EPC reports look the same because they all measure the same factors, this includes all these details we will list below.
Current and Potential Energy Costs
To start with, Energy Performance Certificates will show an estimate of both current energy bills of the property and potential energy bills, plus savings, if the energy efficiency was improved. These costs are stated for your heating, lighting and hot water which are the main utilities and can be used as to compare energy consumption and costs against other properties.
Energy Efficiency Rating
Energy efficiency is represented on a scale from A being the most efficient to G being the least efficient; this next section of the EPC report compares your property performance against this scale. It shows where your current energy efficiency rating is and where it could be if you carry out the recommendations and suggestions explained next.
Top Actions You Can Take
This table offers top actions that you can take to save money and make your home more efficient. These suggestions will be unique to your property and will be listed under recommended measures. This table will also detail indicative costs, typical savings over 3 years and whether these measures are available with Green Deal, to give you as much information as possible to help you decide.
Energy Performance & Heat Demand
Going into more detail, next there is another table but this time giving a summary of the property’s energy performance related features. These features include walls, roof, floor, windows, etc. and the construction of these features are then described and given an energy efficiency rating from 1 to 5 stars. The heat demand table assesses the amount of heat you are expected to use and how you can reduce that by improving the insulation. If you are looking to use renewable heating options, this section is helpful.
Recommendations & Alternative Measures
Although mentioned above, this section gives you a much more detailed breakdown of the recommended measures. Not only are they shown in order of importance, but the rating after improvement figures are based on making the improvements in this order. As well as the costs and savings information given, this section is incredibly important when it comes to improving your energy efficiency or comparing properties. There are also alternative measures available below this table which can be considered.
Why Are Energy Performance Certificates Important?
Simply put, they are a reliable indicator of how much the prospective buyer or tenant will spend on energy bills and running costs in the future. It will also give them an idea of how much work may be needed on the property in order to become more energy efficient.
Energy efficiency, sustainability and renewable energy is emphasised so much nowadays that EPC reports are more important than ever. The impact on the world we live in and the environment around us is important, which is why energy performance certificates are too.
How Can We Help?
Pinpoint Homes have been providing both commercial and residential clients with EPC reports quickly and easily for many years. We can provide a hassle-free experience, plus the option of a package deal with our other property management services.
Contact us today to find out more information.
