No one is going
to be effective in making the right choice every time. That’s not how
life happens. But with the use of this post you should be more
enlightened when choosing to invest in Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Contractors.
Commercial
EPCs are rated on a scale of A to G, with A being the most efficient
and G being the least efficient. The rating is determined by calculating
the building’s “carbon dioxide equivalent emissions” (CO₂e). This is
done by multiplying the amount of energy used in the building by its
carbon dioxide emissions factor. Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency
Standards (MMES) introduced in April 2018, all privately owned
properties must have an EPC rating of at least “E” before they can be
legally sold or let. There are a few exceptions — for example, listed
buildings — but the legislation applies to the vast majority of
residential and commercial buildings. Failure to comply will result in
fines ranging from £5,000 to £150,000 (the higher rate is reserved for
non-domestic property owners). 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. The calculation for a commercial EPC follows a
methodology called the Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM). The
assessor does not make any subjective judgements about the energy
performance of the building, but rather collects data which is fed into
the software that calculates the result. The resulting commercial EPC is
accompanied by a recommendation report that makes suggestions as to how
the buildings rating can be improved. There is no uniform fee for an
EPC – it will depend on factors such as the size and type of property –
but prices tend to start at around £60. It’s worth getting quotes from a
few energy assessors in your area, which you can source from the EPC
register. If you are buying a new home, an EPC certificate could help
you compare properties you may be looking at. If you are a seller,
improving your rating could help boost the value of your property.
Research from moneysupermarket.com shows the average home could be worth
as much as 14 per cent more if it was upgraded to an A rating.
To
comply with minimum energy performance requirements, many of the
recommendations in an EPC report e.g. double glazing, new doors and
windows, external wall insulation, and external boiler flues would
likely result in unacceptable alterations in the majority of historic
buildings. These can include buildings protected as part of a
designated environment or because of their special architectural or
historical merit. The intention is that an EPC is not required for
conversions, alterations and extensions to buildings other than
alterations and extensions to stand-alone buildings having an area less
than 50 square metres that would increase the area to 50 square metres
or more, or alterations to buildings involving the fit-out of the shell
which the subject of a continuing requirement. A professional team can
recommend additional actions that can further improve your energy
consumption profile and help you drive your energy costs down. This is a
great opportunity for owners and businesses who do not have much
experience with renewable energy. The EPC register is the government's
online database of every EPC in the UK. You can search for a property's
energy performance certificate by postcode. This is useful for looking
up your own certificate, or for finding the certificate of a property
you are considering moving into. Conducting viability appraisals with
respect to
mees is useful from the outset of any project.
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards In Commercial PropertiesThe
EPC gives information on the current and potential energy performance
of the property. It does not cover its current condition, decorative
state or usage. By law, all buildings which are newly built or have been
sold or rented since 1st October 2008 need an EPC. Once awarded,
there’s need to worry about renewing the EPC for a long time as the
certificate is valid for 10 years. Commercial Energy Performance
Certificates (EPC) are a legal requirement to have in place when you
sell or lease a non domestic property anywhere in the UK. Since the
introduction of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
legislation in April 2018 properties with an EPC rating of F or G cannot
be let out until work has been carried out to improve the rating to at
least an E. This has lead to many banks and financial institutions now
refusing to carry out sale transactions on F and G rated properties.
Energy efficient buildings have lower greenhouse gas emissions due to
their reduced reliance on fossil fuels. Buildings that use primarily
clean energy such as hydroelectricity have the lowest emissions. It’s
been the law since 2008 that a property must have an EPC if it’s being
advertised to buy or let. Under the current law, you can’t sell or rent
your home unless you can give potential buyers and tenants an up-to-date
Energy Performance Certificate. A well-thought-out strategy
appertaining to
non domestic epc register can offer leaps and bounds in improvements.
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. EPCs are
regulated by the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England
and Wales) Regulations 2015. The regulations aim to reduce the carbon
dioxide emission of property’s and ‘call out’ non-domestic properties
which are not energy efficient. An energy performance certificate
assesses how energy efficient a property is. This can include anything
from the use of energy efficient lightbulbs to insulation and hot water
systems. The less energy efficient a property is, the higher the energy
bills will be. An EPC also shows the potential score for a property, if
the recommended changes were made, and an environmental impact rating.
It is possible that MEES could be upgraded in the future, as the
expectation for higher standards increases. As such, it makes sense to
fully commit to ensuring your property not only meets expectations, but
exceeds them, ready for any future change. If you’re looking to sell
your home, then you’ll need an EPC assessment completed to go alongside
your listing to show potential buyers how energy efficient the home is.
If you’re a landlord, it’s a legal requirement to have an up-to-date
Energy Performance Certificate and recent rules mean that the property
has to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) of an E rating or
above in order to comply with regulations. Its always best to consult
the experts when considering
epc commercial property these days.
SAP And SBEM CalculationsAn
EPC is much like a mini survey and an assessor will look into wall,
floor and roof constructions, heating, controls and central heating
systems, boilers and ventilation, windows, doors and glazing, hot water
tanks, lighting, any forms of insulation, and any renewable energy
present. As part of a European Directive, an Energy Performance
Certificate (EPC) is still mandatory if you intend to sell or rent your
property. EPCs will provide information on a building's energy
efficiency using a simple sliding scale - 'A' being the most efficient,
to 'G' the least efficient In addition to the Energy Efficiency Rating
(relating to running costs), the EPC will also show the Environment
Impact Rating (relating to the carbon dioxide emissions). When choosing a
commercial EPC provider, make sure to assess their experience in
property improvement. This will help you to get a better idea of the
level of expertise they possess and the resources they have available.
If you are looking to purchase a property, one thing you’ll come across
sooner or later is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). EPCs were
introduced in 2007 as part of the Home Information Packs (HIPs) for
properties with four bedrooms or more. This was then extended to include
smaller properties too. Net Zero is a global imperative. To reach Net
Zero and limit global warming, governments, public sector bodies,
corporate organisations, financial services, regions and cities must
focus on delivering ambitious climate action plans. A team of Energy
Assessors and Chartered Surveyors are uniquely placed to give advice on
commercial epc and provide a complete energy consultancy service.
Landlords
cannot grant new tenancies or continue to let via existing tenancies if
the property has an EPC rating of F or G. All domestic landlords are
required to comply with this if their property is legally required to
have an EPC and is an assured, regulated or domestic agricultural
tenancy. The MEES regulations currently set the minimum level of energy
efficiency for a building at an Energy Performance Certificate (“EPC”)
rating of at least band E. Subject to certain exceptions, the MEES
regulations impose restrictions on lettings. Since April 2018 it has
been unlawful to let non-compliant buildings, applying to the grant of
new leases and lease renewals, and from 1 April 2023 it will be unlawful
to continue to let non-compliant buildings. The processes involved in
undertaking a commercial EPC are fundamentally the same a domestic EPC,
however a major difference is that the building needs to be divided into
different ‘zones’ dependant on the activities conducted in the zones
(ie office space, kitchen, storage area etc). 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. EPCs and minimum energy
standards were brought in to help tackle climate change by ensuring that
all domestic and commercial buildings are running in the most
environmentally friendly way possible. According to a recent report by
the United Nations Environment Programme – "Buildings-related CO2
emissions have continued to rise by around 1% per year since 2010 and
now account for around 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions."
You may be asking yourself how does a
mees regulations fit into all of this?
Selling Or Leasing PremisesAn
EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from ‘A’ (the most
efficient) to ‘G’ (the least efficient) and remains usable for ten
years. Since the introduction of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
(MEES), the lowest rating a potential rental property can rank is ‘E’.
Any properties rate ‘F’ or ‘G’ are prohibited under MEES legislation
from being rented. Currently the legislation states that the
Landlord/Owner of the property is responsible for ensuring that the
property has a Commercial EPC, and it is the Owner/Landlord who is
liable for any the fine. However, Tranding Standards and the CLG (the
Government) are currently looking into changing the legislation which
will make Compliance more stringent. If the EPC rating of a building
exceeds the minimum requirements, the landlords will be required to make
the necessary changes. As a result of the modifications, they must have
obtained an EPC grade of “B” or above by April 1, 2030. In some
instances, the government may provide exceptions to the conditions
above. In addition, the government will increase the fine for not
possessing a valid EPC certificate from £5,000 to £30,000 by 2025.
Uncover supplementary information regarding Professionally Qualified
Domestic Energy Contractors at this
UK Government Publications article.
Related Articles:
Extra Insight About Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate Contractors
More Background Insight On Fully Accredited Commercial Energy Assessors
Supplementary Insight On Non-Domestic Energy Performance Contractors
Additional Information About Domestic and Commercial EPC Assessors
Background Insight With Regard To Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Assessors
Extra Insight With Regard To Commercial Energy Performance Contractors
Background Information About Domestic and Commercial EPC Assessors
The Wall