Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)

for non-domestic properties

Clients have been asking us what they are, what needs to be done, by when – and can we help?

Starting with the last point: we are able to help source competitive quotations for EPCs; if you might like us to obtain competitive quotations for you: click here to email or call Mike Harris on 07831 292414.

As for the other questions, we hope the following will help:

In 2007

The UK government launched the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. The regulations are designed to reduce CO2 emissions of buildings and improve their energy efficiency.

From 6 April 2008 for buildings over 10,000m sq

Building owners and Landlords (head lessees) must provide an Energy Performance Certificate to any prospective buyer or tenant when they construct, sell or lease a commercial building.

From 1 July 2008 for buildings over 2,500m sq

From 1 October 2008 for all other buildings over 50m sq.

It’s a bit different in Scotland

The provision of an Energy Performance Certificate when constructing a commercial building over 500m sq in Scotland came into effect from 1st May 2007.

The requirement for an Energy Performance Certificate when selling or leasing to any prospective buyer or tenant of commercial building over 1000m sq in Scotland takes effect from 4th January 2009

Air Conditioning

All commercial premises where you supply air conditioning systems with a cumulative output of greater than 250kW will require an energy inspection report for the system by 4th January 2009.

Public Authorities and Institutions

From 1st October 2008 public authorities and institutions occupying buildings with a usable floor area over 1,000m sq must present a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) in an area clearly visible to the general public.

Energy Audits

At the present time there are no regulations governing how energy efficient your building must be. However the stated aim of Government is to reduce energy consumption to combat the effects of climate change with the added benefit of reducing the nations dependence on overseas energy suppliers.

The Energy Performance Certificate will be a means by which buildings can be compared in respect of their energy consumption. It seems likely that owner occupiers may see benefit in actually auditing their energy consumption in order to identify savings. In addition where you have tenants there may be pressure from certain tenants to reduce the energy consumption of the building. Many companies now include in their annual report a commitment to carbon reductions and once Enery Performance Certificates are introduced it seems likely that some tenants will expect all of their properties within which they operate to reach a certain level of Energy Performance.

Future Trends?

Commercial properties in the US which achieve high energy efficiency ratings are selling for almost a third more than other properties and the UK commercial property market is likely to follow, a new report from NB Environment has found.

A recent US study revealed that properties that had achieved the US Energy Star rating sold for 27 per cent more per sq ft than buildings that had failed to achieve the rating.
And occupancy rates of the energy efficient buildings were 92 per cent compared to the average of 87 per cent for less efficient buildings.