When you consider Commercial and Domestic EPC Assessors, who were the people that started it? Will they ever be overtaken?You can obtain an EPC certificate by visiting the EPC Register website and locating an assessor in your area. You will be required to share a copy of the completed assessment with prospective tenants, or prior to producing marketing materials for the sale or let of a property. Energy performance certificates, commonly known as EPC’s, can only be produced by a licensed and government accredited assessor. With the introduction of the new minimum standards for rental property should your property not achieve the required E rating we can advise on the most suitable improvements in order to achieve compliance. With the current emphasis on environmental issues and price increases of gas and electricity bills, having a "greener" property is now more beneficial than ever. Having energy efficient property is the best option for all property owners, investors or landlords, as it will improve your reputation and attract more potential buyers and/or tenants, while helping to reduce the impact on the environment, thus potentially helping to reduce the price of gas and electricity bills in the future. An EPC will help identify if your home is a good fit for renewable energy-efficiency measures such as an air source heat pump. Prior to installation, it is important to ensure that your home is well-insulated and efficient. This will help you get the best from installing this technology. In recent years we have seen a continuous rise in the awareness of the environmental impact of energy efficiency, along with the fact that energy prices continue to rise. This has led to the government introducing a scheme where all domestic and commercial buildings in the UK that are available to buy or up for rent must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC is a certificate that tells you how energy efficient a building is by rating it from A (very efficient) to G (very inefficient). It contains information about how the construction of the home affects its energy usage and will tell you how expensive it is to heat your property and what its annual carbon emissions are likely to be.
An EPC is valid for 10 years although if changes are made to the building then the rating will change. If improvements to the building envelope or building services are made then a new EPC should reflect the improvements and the EPC rating would be better. If relying on the EPC for a transaction it may be advantageous to renew the EPC. Energy Performance Certificates can offer you a great service at a competitive price. A domestic EPC starts from £36, whilst a commercial EPC begins at £150. However, if you are a landlord with multiple properties, we can also offer you the latest discounts available. The energy performance certificate is valid for 10 years. However, we advise you to amend your certificate should any changes or modifications be made to your property within this time. An EPC includes recommendations on how the energy performance of the building can be improved (to reduce running costs) together with an indication of the payback period. There is no statutory requirement to carry out any of the recommended energy efficiency measures stated. Commercial energy certificate surveys can vary a lot in terms of the time needed to complete the inspection. Property size is the main factor but the layout and accessibility can also be factors. Some commercial inspections can take up to a day to complete the on-site survey and a further couple of days to write up. Its always best to consult the experts when considering
mees regulations these days.
Fully Insured AssessorsAn EPC is used as an indication as to the potential performance of a property. As it states the ways that the property can be improved and made more energy efficient, the report is a good way to let the Landlord/ property owner know ways in which their EPC can be improved and ways that their property can be made more energy efficient. All commercial buildings on the market, for sale or let, require an EPC to be in place, from the first day the building is marketed. Newly constructed buildings require an EPC before completion. Simplified building energy model is a computer program that provides an analysis of abuilding’s energy consumption. The tool is designed to cover buildings that are not dwellings. It has been adopted by government as part of the UK national methodology for calculation of the energy performance of buildings. It is also used to produce consistent and reliable evaluations of energy use in non-domestic buildings for building regulations compliance and for building energy performance certification purposes. Commercial buildings utilize a lot of energy to operate, from the electricity, the heating and cooling, as well as the day-to-day activities that occur. It makes these buildings incredibly expensive to keep open and operating. By making the investment in creating energy efficient commercial buildings, many of these costs can be drastically reduced. An EPC is a survey which ranks your property on a scale of A to G – there is no pass or fail. However, if you are renting out your home, the law requires the EPC to show a minimum rating of E for all new tenancies and – as from April 2020 – all existing tenancies. This means you will need to request access to the property for the EPC to be carried out. Conducting viability appraisals with respect to
mees is useful from the outset of any project.
An accredited domestic energy assessor can issue you with an EPC. An estate or letting agent can find one for you, but you can also do this yourself by visiting the EPC Register to search for one in your area. Access to EPC data repositories has shown a positive impact on the market value of energy efficiency improvements, contributing to the market transformation the EPBD aims at. As part of their action plan to guide the UK toward the 2050 target and address fuel poverty* the government has an aim to upgrade all homes to EPC rating grade C by 2035 which, in theory, would significantly decrease both carbon emissions and cost of heating the home. Currently, the average EPC rating for domestic properties is a D rating although the minimum requirement for rental properties is an E rating. EPCs were introduced by the European Union initiative (Directive 2002/91/EC – EPBD) to help drive energy efficiency across all the member states. As energy consumption is increasing, so are CO2 emissions that go hand in hand with it. A EPC minimum rating of C or above is required for landlords by 2025. Failure to provide a valid EPC may cause you to pay a fine of up to £5,000. They should also have an updated EPC when renting out their property. EPCs are only valid for ten years to have a consistent report of how efficient the property is. An understanding of the challenges met by
commercial epc can enhance the value of a project.
Why Having An Epc Is Good For The Planet, Your Tenants And YouFor rented properties, the landlord has the responsibility to arrange an EPC. If you are purchasing a house, the EPC will be provided by the property seller, whereas the developer will usually provide the EPC for a new build. This has been required by the government by law since 2008 (2009 in Scotland) and if you fail to comply you may be subject to a penalty such as a fine of £200. Included with an Energy Performance Certificate is the potential cost of undertaking these improvements as well as typical savings over a three year period. It also includes the estimated cost of heating, lighting and hot water after improvements are made. Additionally, it will show you total potential savings, and the EPC rating you might receive after making improvements to your home. The government consultation for England & Wales is proposing to raise the MEES threshold for commercial premises to B or C by 1 April 2030, with either a phased incremental increase in the threshold rating between 2023 & 2030 or a cliff edge implementation on 1 April 2030. Current exemptions look set to remain. Energy ratings on an EPC vary from A (most energy sufficient) to G (most energy inefficient). The EPC ratings should be better for newer properties than older buildings. A higher EPC rating could play a big role in making your commercial property more attractive to potential tenants. The cost of an EPC depends on the type and size of the property. There are no fixed fees, so it’s worth asking for quotes from several registered domestic energy assessors. The cost may be as little as £60 or as much as £120. If you arrange an EPC via an estate agent, rather than booking directly with a DEA, the price will be higher. Maximising potential for
epc commercial property isn't the same as meeting client requirements and expectations.
A certified Non-Domestic Energy Assessor (NDEA) will visit your property to undertake an assessment at a time that suits you. The NDEAs we work with are qualified to the level of your property and accredited by a government body. They are regularly audited to ensure that their work complies with high quality standards. Once on site, the NDEA will take all required measurements and record information necessary to calculate the EPC rating for your property. From 1 October 2008, all larger public buildings (over 1000 sq m), or more than 500 sq m from 9 January 2013, have required an annual Display Energy Certificate highlighting their energy performance, the DE|Cs requiring renewal every 12 months. These buildings also require an Advisory Report (AR) providing recommendations for energy improvements every seven years. While there are currently no laws on the rating your home must have before you sell it, this might been changing. For example, in April 2018, it was announced that, legally, all rented properties must have an energy rating of at least E. Unless the landlord takes action to improve the energy efficiency rating within the space of three months, they may face a fine of up to 20% of the property’s rateable value. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) measures the energy efficiency of a property and rates it on a sliding scale depending on how efficient it is. Ratings are from A-G with A being the most efficient and G being the least. If you are unable to provide a valid EPC for your commercial property, you can face a fine of between £200 to £5000. The amount is scalable and depends upon the rateable value of the building. Professional assistance in relation to
non domestic epc register can make or break a commercial building project.
Reducing GHG EmissionsFor landlords, EPCs are even more crucial. Since April 2020, landlords are forbidden under law from renting or continuing to rent their property if they have an EPC rating below E. Landlords whose properties are rated F or G must improve their rating to E or above or register an exemption. You will never be expected to spend more than £3,500 (including VAT) on energy improvements. If you cannot improve your property to an EPC rating of E for £3,500, you should make all the improvements up to that amount, then register an ‘all improvements made’ exemption. Failure to adhere to EPC requirements can lead to harsh financial penalties of £200 per breach imposed and up to £4,000 for landlords whose properties do not attain a minimum rating of E on their EPC. From 1st April 2018 any property let on a new tenancy or a fixed term renewal must meet the new minimum EPC rating of E or higher. As EPCs only last for 10 years and became compulsory in 2008, it is important to check that your EPC is still valid and the rating is E or higher. From 1st April 2020 it will not be possible to let any domestic property that has an EPC rating of F or G. Furthermore, if a landlord wants to back possession of a property let on an Assured Shorthold Tenancy it is legally necessary to have a valid EPC before serving notice on a tenant. Find further particulars relating to Commercial and Domestic EPC Assessors in this
UK Government Website article.
Related Articles: Further Findings About Commercial Energy Performance Assessors Extra Information On Fully Accredited Energy Assessors Extra Findings About Commercial Energy Performance Assessors More Findings About Commercial Energy Performance Assessors Additional Findings With Regard To Non-Domestic Energy Performance Contractors More Information About Non-Domestic Energy Performance Contractors More Insight With Regard To Fully Accredited Energy Assessors
