What Are Energy Performance Certificates?
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) give information on how to make your home
more energy efficient and reduce carbon dioxide emissions All homes bought, sold or rented require an EPC.
Energy Performance Certificates - what they tell you
EPCs contain:
* Information on your home's energy use and carbon dioxide emission
* A recommendation report with suggestions to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions
Energy use and carbon dioxide emissions
EPCs include ratings, both on how the property is currently performing in terms of energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions but also on how it could be performing if energy saving measures were utilised, such as properly insulating the home. The ratings system uses grades from A to G: A is the most efficient, whereas G is the least. The average grade achieved by homes is D. Because this same grading system and scale is used on every property, it makes it easy for buyers to compare different homes.
Around 27 per cent of the UK's carbon dioxide emissions come from domestic homes. Carbon dioxide adds to the burden of global warming.
The recommendation report
EPCs give a detailed report of areas that you could improve upon in your home to help decrease the amount of energy you use. The report includes:
* Areas for improvement, for example installing loft insulation
* How much money could be saved by acting on these areas
How the recommendations would change the energy and carbon emission rating of the property
Although you don't have to take the advice of the report, it is very likely that if you do it will make your home much more attractive when the times comes to sell, as it will be much more energy efficient.
The certificate also contains:
* Detailed estimates of potential energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and fuel costs.
* Details of the person who carried out the EPC assessment
* Who to contact if you want to make a complaint
What an EPC looks like
There are charts that show the energy and carbon dioxide emission ratings. The charts look similar to those supplied on electrical appliances, like fridges and washing machines.
How to get an EPC
You should receive an EPC when you are either buying or renting a property. You'll need to provide one if you are selling or letting your home.
Which buildings need an EPC?
An EPC is a must when a building is being rented, sold or being constructed. A building will need an EPC If it has walls, a roof and requires energy to determine it's interior climate. This means it has heating, air conditioning or mechanical ventilation. For example, a garden shed would not need an EPC if it doesn't have any heating. The building in question may be a complete unit or part of a building that has been changed in any way to be used separately. If a building is made up of separate units, each with its own heating system, each unit will need an EPC.
Which buildings don't need an EPC?
The following buildings don't need an EPC when they are built, rented or sold:
* Places of prayer
* Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years
* Standalone buildings with total useful floor area of less than 50 metres squared that arenotused to provide living accommodation for a single household
* Workshops, Industrial sites, agricultural buildings and non-residential buildings, generally places of low energy use.
EPCs for business premises
Owners of all commercial buildings also have to provide an EPC when they sell or let commercial premises.
by: Jake Stevens
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