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We make decisions, and those decisions swivel around and make us. If you're considering improving your life through the use of Commercial Energy Performance Certificate Assessors, then help yourself determine the outcome you desire. Too many people manage life like it’s a lotto ticket. If you hang fire for long enough, your number will come up. An EPC will make recommendations for further energy saving measures that could be implemented, the expected cost of such measures, and the anticipated energy savings. A property will be given an energy efficiency grade between A (most efficient) and G (least efficient). That means prospective buyers can see at a glance how energy efficient the property is. Energy Performance Certificates are valid for 10 years, so it can be used for property sales at any point during the 10 year period. If you’ve spent time working on your home to improve its energy efficiency, then you may consider having another EPC survey completed before the 10 years is up to understand how your improvements have increased the rating on your property’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). If you’re aiming to improve your EPC rating, then we would recommend getting an energy performance certificate before (If you don’t have a valid one) and after the changes. This will allow you to track the impact of your improvements. To do this, we advise using the same assessor or firm to avoid the risk that even after improvements are made, a discrepancy in approach or equipment used in the assessment means you don’t get a higher rating. You could also ask the assessor’s advice on your home improvements before you invest. Commercial property owners need to be aware of the minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES). This measure of energy efficiency was first introduced in 1994 and has been updated several times since then. The latest version, known as the MEES method, measures the average annual electricity consumption for a commercial property over its lifetime rather than just one year. In October 2008 it became law that landlords must provide an Energy Performance Certificate for any domestic EPC property when either renewing a tenancy or starting a new one. If a property was to be advertised for sale or let, the EPC had to be provided at the point of advertising. On 1st April 2018 Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) came in to force for landlord’s in England and Wales. Understanding the difference between a domestic and commercial EPC, what goes into an assessment process, and which systems are considered in this type of evaluation can help you make more informed decisions about your own property. It is a legal requirement to have a valid EPC for a property when marketing for sales and/or lettings. There are exemptions for certain property types, and all exemptions have to be registered on the national register. Each registered exemption is valid for five years. Energy efficiency has been a key consideration in building design, construction, and operation for the past several decades. In most countries, the energy crisis of the 1970s saw energy costs increase substantially. This cost increase played an important role in highlighting building energy efficiency as both a necessity and an investment opportunity. An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC for short, is a document which details how energy efficient a property is. EPCs have become a legal requirement for all house owners and landlords in the UK. It is very important as a house owner or landlord that you have a valid EPC before you sell or rent out your property to prospective buyers or tenants. Buildings are a critical piece of our transition to a lower-carbon future. They are where we live, where we rest, and where we work – and they are responsible for about 40% of global energy consumption and about one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. Maximising potential for non domestic epc register isn't the same as meeting client requirements and expectations. Commercial EPCs Explained The main aim of the EPC is to serve as an information tool for building owners, occupiers and real estate actors. Therefore, EPCs can be a powerful market tool to create demand for energy efficiency in buildings by targeting such improvements as a decision-making criterion in real-estate transactions, and by providing recommendations for the cost-effective or cost-optimal upgrading of the energy performance. The average property in the UK sits between bands D-E. The EPC is useful because it will include recommendations on ways to improve the home’s energy efficiency. This will help you to save money and reduce your CO2 emissions. EPCs also apply to commercial buildings and are rated only by Carbon Dioxide emission ratings on a scale of A-G. The introduction of the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/962) (MEES Regulations) created a requirement that in certain circumstances properties in England and Wales can only be let if a minimum energy efficiency standard has been met. In the broadest of terms, electricity is now your friend and gas has become the enemy. This is a complete reversal of how they have been treated in SBEM until now. It appears that electricity changes from being (in the region of) twice as bad as gas to slightly better than gas. On average, each household in the UK uses around 9 kWh of electricity each day. This equates to a total UK consumption of 244,800 MW of electricity each day! To put that in perspective, one wind turbine generates around 36MW of electricity every 24 hours – if the wind is blowing the entire 24 hours. An understanding of the challenges met by commercial epc can enhance the value of a project. Landlords providing accommodation where a tenant needs urgent relocation because of an emergency are exempt from the requirement to make an EPC available before renting out the dwelling if there is no valid certificate and insufficient time to commission one. However, an EPC must be provided as soon as is reasonably practicable after the renting out the dwelling. Where a rented property has an energy rating of F or G on 1st April 2020 it cannot be rented to a new tenant AND where there is an existing tenancy it cannot continue. If a property with a non-compliant rating (F or G) continues to be rented the landlord will be in breach of the Minimum energy efficiency regulations (MEES) and would therefore be breaking the law. All non-domestic EPC’s must be performed by an accredited Low Carbon Energy Assessor and lodged on a central register. The Low Carbon Energy Assessor is also required to visit the site to verify the installation reflects the as-built information. After the survey, and on receipt of all as-built information, the EPC can then be lodged on the central register and will be issued. EPC Ratings are presented and measured on an A – G scale with A being the top score for the most energy efficient properties and G being for the least efficient properties. The better the efficiency rating, the more money the occupants will save on their energy bills. Better scores also indicate a lower environmental impact from the property and lover Carbon Dioxide emissions. Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are official documents that illustrates the energy efficiency of domestic and commercial properties. These EPCs are issued by qualified accredited energy assessors after an energy assessment of the building and include information on the fabric of the building, lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation systems. Research around mees regulations remains patchy at times. New Regulations On The Horizon You will be penalized for your EPC rating if there is no insulation. To determine what proportion of your lights is energy-efficient, the EPC assessor will need to inspect every room in the house. Your EPC rating will be more excellent if you have extra glazing on your windows. Your EPC rating will rise if you use lagging to insulate your water tank and pipelines. EPC assessors will assess the airtightness value of your property. The intention is that an EPC is not required for limited life buildings which have an intended life of less than 2 years and buildings that are subject to Schedule 1 of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, as amended. Buildings such as this include a nuclear power station, monument, agricultural greenhouse, a railway locomotive building, caravan or mobile home, temporary building (not used for more than 28 consecutive days or in excess of 60 days. If you want to rent or sell a commercial premises or the building has just been constructed then a commercial EPC will need to be undertaken – this is a legal requirement. The EPC is valid for 10 years. Please note if the building has a significant update, for example change of use, changes to the fabric, significant extension or additions to the property and/or changes to the provision of fixed services then a new EPC must be produced. If there are modifications to the existing premises after the original transaction date then a new EPC should be produced. If you are looking to privately rent a property, checking the EPC could help give you an idea of what the energy bill costs could be (although the actual cost will also depend on your own energy usage). Landlords of privately rented properties in England and Wales must achieve at least an EPC rating of E before they can let, or continue to let, their properties. If your property’s rating is F or G, you need to act immediately to improve the property’s rating to E (or higher). Your EPC report will include a list of recommendations to improve the energy efficiency of your property. In 2025, the EPC requirement will be changing from E to C for all new tenancies. A solid understanding of epc commercial property makes any related process simple and hassle free. An EPC shows how energy efficient a property could be if some improvements are carried out. These include replacing lighting with low energy bulbs or upgrading insulation. As a landlord, you have a legal responsibility to read through recommendations in your EPC report and ensure your property has the legally required rating. Landlords may spend up to a maximum of £3,500 on these energy efficiency improvements, including any funding or grants given by the government, local authorities or energy companies. If you are a residential homeowner, commercial property owner or a landlord, looking to sell, rent or lease your property, you are now required by law to possess an energy performance certificate (EPC). Currently, you won’t actually benefit from tax relief for having a higher energy efficient property. However, the government are considering lowering tax bands for properties which have energy saving measures and appliances – If you increase your properties efficiency now, by the time the tax changes come into effect, you’ll be saving money immediately. Once issued, an Energy Performance Certificate is valid for 10 years. In that time, you can use the EPC multiple times for the same property if you wish to rent out to different tenants. After 10 years, the EPC has expired and you will need to follow the process again, to get a newly valid Energy Performance Certificate. You may be asking yourself how does a mees fit into all of this? Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificates An EPC is short for an Energy Performance Certificate, a report that assesses the energy efficiency of a property. The report considers things like how well insulated the property is and it will tell you how much your bills might cost. It also recommends improvements to save you money. E.P.C's are the first piece of regulation to be enforced. Midland EPC Ltd anticipate they will have an impact on sale and rental prices of commercial buildings, as property occupiers seek to improve their environmental credentials with increasing concern about rising energy costs. If you are renting or selling your property as of the 1st of October 2008 you will require an energy performance certificate also known as an EPC. This is required before marketing of your property can commence. The EPC lasts 10 years and is carried out by one of our accredited energy assessors. This certificate is fully compliant and can be used with any estate agent. Discover supplementary particulars regarding Commercial Energy Performance Certificate Assessors at this UK Government Publications page. Related Articles: Further Findings With Regard To Non-Domestic EPC Contractors More Information With Regard To Fully Accredited Energy Assessors More Findings With Regard To Non-Domestic Energy Performance Assessors More Insight On Non-Domestic EPC Contractors Additional Information With Regard To Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Contractors Further Findings About Qualified Domestic Energy Assessors Supplementary Insight On Non-Domestic Energy Performance Contractors