Amplify Your Quality Of Life With A Notable Commercial And Domestic EPC Assessors

Amplify Your Quality Of Life With A Notable Commercial And Domestic EPC Assessors
13 min read
12 January 2023

If you’ve spent any time exploring Commercial and Domestic EPC Assessors in the preceding days, you’ve probably observed how bewildering it can be.

The minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) was introduced in March 2015 by the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015. The MEES Regulations originate from the Energy Act 2011 which contained the previous coalition government's package of energy efficiency policies including the Green Deal. A proactive approach to EPC compliance means having them in advance of the trigger points at which they would be needed. For example, if a landlord has a block with a high turnover of tenants, then producing EPCs in advance of the requirement will mean that these are on hand to give to new tenants as they are offered accommodation and will reduce any impact on void times. It should be borne in mind however that a proactive approach typically requires surveys of tenanted properties and if any difficulties are encountered in gaining access, the need to make repeat visits could increase costs. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) tells you the energy efficiency of a building. It uses a ranking system from A to G, with A representing a very efficient building and G indicating an inefficient building. On 1 April 2018, MEES introduced the requirement for residential landlords to ensure any new tenancies had an Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) with a minimum rating of an E. Since 1 April 2020 the legislation was extended to cover all existing relevant residential tenancies. EPC is now a legal requirement for all dwellings in the construction stage. The EPC is valid for 10 years. If there are any changes or repairs to thermal elements carried out during this time period, an updated EPC should be issued. As a result of an EU directive it is required by law to show a valid Energy Performance Certificate when selling or leasing a commercial building. The directive came into effect in 2008 and certificates are valid for 10 years.

Commercial and Domestic EPC Assessors

There are many things that can affect your EPC rating, but it's worth knowing that your rating has more to do with your property than your lifestyle. With the UK having the leakiest homes in western Europe, it's quite hard to achieve an A-rating. You may not waste energy, but if your home is poorly insulated, or if you have no heating, or old electric-only heating, your EPC rating may be lower than you expect. A domestic energy assessor will visit your property to carry out a survey to begin the process. This is usually a brief visit, depending on the size of the dwelling in question. They will take measurements to produce a simple floor plan of the property, take some photographic evidence of things like insulation and the heating system, and make notes ready to enter this information into a government-approved software package. The cost of a Commercial EPC is governed by the type, size and complexity of a building, also the type of heating and ventilation. Providing scale floor plans of a building will significantly reduce the cost. From 1 April 2018 rules came into force, making it unlawful to let properties, both domestic and commercial, on a new lease with an EPC rating lower than E. On 1 April 2020 the band E threshold extended to existing privately rented residential properties. Minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) requirements will extend to all existing commercial leases from 1 April 2023 and the rating will rise in future, with the government consulting on its aims to bring the majority of properties up to EPC band C by the end of the decadeOpens in a new window. Formulating opinions on matters such as non domestic epc register can be a time consuming process.

Energy Performance Related Features

There are various ways to improve your commercial EPC rating, and to lower the cost of commissioning the report. For example, by ensuring that the EPC assessor is able to get easy access to all the parts of the building to be inspected. Another example to improve your commercial EPC rating would be to remove any portable heaters from your commercial property, as this could be seen as your property’s main heat source and would be considered to be an inefficient way of heating the premises. Not all properties are covered by MEES regulations. For example, if your property is listed and not legally required to have an EPC, then you won’t need to comply. Meanwhile, if you’re letting a residential property which isn’t an assured tenancy, regulated tenancy or domestic agricultural tenancy, then it’s likely you won’t have to worry about MEES. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a document showing the assessed energy efficiency of a home. It uses an A - G ratings system which allows prospective owners and tenants to consider the affordability of a home in terms of the likely heating and lighting costs. An EPC survey must be carried out by an accredited domestic energy assessor who should visit your home. You can search for an accredited assessor using the EPC Register. Each energy efficiency rating is based on the characteristics of the building itself (the fabric) and its services (such as heating, ventilation and lighting). This type of rating is known as an asset rating. The asset rating will reflect the age and condition of the building. An EPC certificate gives your a very accurate benchmark of the energy efficiency of your property. You can use this score to assess how the changes you are making to the property are improving its performance over time. You may be asking yourself how does a mees regulations fit into all of this?

EPCs provide a numerical grade between 1 and 100 and a lettered grade between A and G. For example, A would be the highest meaning they have exceptional energy efficiency. In addition to showing you the properties current rating, it will also provide you with a potential score which could be reached provided a number of energy efficiency measures are installed. EPCs state how energy efficient a property is. The rating system ranges from A to G, with A being the most efficient. If there’s a prospective tenant or buyer for your commerical property, you’re required to present an EPC. Otherwise, the penalty is 12.5% of the property value or £750. When you sell, let or build a commercial property, it is a legal requirement to have a valid EPC. An EPC is valid for 10 years. When properties are let, there are minimum energy efficiency standards. These are expected to increase in the future. The EPC for a property can be transferred if the property is sold; however, any registered exemptions will not be transferred and will cease to apply once the property is sold. In short, an EPC rating is a review of a property’s energy efficiency. They’re primarily used by would-be buyers or renters to quickly see how much their energy bills will cost in their new house or flat. A team of Energy Assessors and Chartered Surveyors are uniquely placed to give advice on epc commercial property and provide a complete energy consultancy service.

How Do I Get A New Epc Certificate?

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. Your home’s energy rating looks like the sticker you might find on a fridge or a washing machine, and ranges from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Your home will also be given a score out of 100. The higher the number, the lower your energy bills are likely to be. A Commercial EPC (Non-Domestic EPC) is a legal requirement for all non-domestic properties such as shops, offices, factories and warehouses which are sold, rented (built, converted or extended) within the UK and gives the building an 'energy efficiency rating' on a scale of 'A' to 'G'. Energy Performance Certificates provide useful information that shows the energy efficiency of a building or property. You can also know in advance about your energy running costs on average for the whole year to come. In this way, you can transform any kind of domestic or not property into a more energy-efficient one. An EPC refers to Energy Performance Certificate. An Energy Performance Certificate provides an energy rating for your home on a scale of A-G. A means the most efficient rating and G is the least efficient. An EPC also highlights areas to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Tips can include small changes such as using energy saving lightbulbs to larger amendments such as installing solar panels and cavity wall insulation. A well-thought-out strategy appertaining to commercial epc can offer leaps and bounds in improvements.

A Commercial EPC assesses a building by giving a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’. An ‘A’ is the best and ‘G’ the worst, with an average rating of a commercial property to date being D/E. When you’re presented with an EPC, you’ll receive your current A to G rating and a score out of 100. If you’re a landlord, you’re required by law to get a rating of E or above before you let out your property. From 1st April 2016 tenants will be able to request consent from their landlord to undertake improvements to their property’s energy efficiency – as long as this improvement has been recommended by an EPC, Green Deal report, or surveyor report. Tenants will need to demonstrate either government or third-party funding, or a willingness to pay, in their request. A landlord will have a duty not to unreasonably refuse a tenant’s request. Homeowners who want to add energy-efficient features to their home can save substantial money in utilities bills, but they have other costs to consider. Along with the potential for savings on energy costs, energy-efficient features can provide a number of benefits for the environment and for the occupants' health. However, the technology that helps a building become more energy efficient can also be expensive. Commercial organisations with the environment as a clear driver, will certainly prefer to occupy 'A' or 'B' rated commercial buildings rather than G rated ones. There are multiple approaches to facilitating a mees in the workplace.

Stabilise Electricity Prices

In April 2018, the UK has passed new regulations on EPCs stating that commercial and residential properties must meet a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard rating of E. For a commercial or non-domestic EPC, this new rating will be based on CO2 emissions. Before a building is put on the market, the owner or the landlord is responsible in commissioning an EPC for the building. If this minimum rating is not met, it would be illegal to sell or rent out the property. A sub-standard, F or G EPC is not necessarily cause for concern. While much has been written about EPC ratings going down when they are re-assessed due to the benchmarking in the software becoming more onerous, this presumes that the original EPC had accurate input data. In 2008, a law was passed stating that anyone selling or renting out a property needs to present an EPC to the buyers or tenants. Most listed buildings are exempt from this law as they cannot have many of the necessary upgrades such as double-glazed windows. The EPC is valid for 10 years. Discover additional info appertaining to Commercial and Domestic EPC Assessors at this UK Government Portal link.

Related Articles:

Additional Insight On Commercial and Domestic EPC Assessors
Extra Insight On Fully Accredited Energy Assessors
Extra Insight About Commercial Energy Performance Contractors
Supplementary Information With Regard To Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Assessors
More Findings About Non-Domestic Energy Performance Contractors
Further Insight On Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Contractors
Supplementary Insight With Regard To Qualified Domestic Energy Contractors


In case you have found a mistake in the text, please send a message to the author by selecting the mistake and pressing Ctrl-Enter.
loz12 0
Joined: 1 year ago
Comments (0)

    No comments yet

You must be logged in to comment.

Sign In / Sign Up