Your EPC Assessment – What to Expect

The process involves categorising your property into one of three levels – 3, 4 or 5.

You own a commercial property, and you’re selling or creating a new lease. Or you’ve finished construction on a commercial property and you’re going through the building warrant process. In each case, you’re required by law to provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

The EPC process

The process involves categorising your property into one of three levels – 3, 4 or 5. Generally speaking, the levels reflect the complexity of your heating and ventilation systems, and each uses its own set of calculations to complete the EPC survey.

The survey of your property will cover:

  • Building fabric
  • Shape, size, and internal layout
  • Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems
  • Building use

The results create your EPC, along with recommendations for improving your energy rating.

Finding the right assessor

Your EPC assessor must be qualified to carry out the appropriate level of survey for your building. If you don’t know what that is, don’t worry – they’ll help you find out.

As a guide, those qualified for higher level surveys will also be qualified for surveys at a lower level. So an assessor who can conduct level 5 surveys will also be able to carry out surveys at levels 3 and 4.

All providers must be qualified Non-domestic Energy Assessors (NDEAs) registered with an approved Government accreditation scheme, like the UK Non-domestic EPC register, or the organisations approved by the Scottish Government.

What to expect

  When you call

Your assessor should first make sure they’re qualified to undertake your assessment, and gather information about your building, like its size, existing systems and use. Once that’s been established, they’ll issue a quote for your assessment. If you’re happy with the quote, the assessor will arrange a time to visit your property.

 During the assessment

Depending on your property’s size, the assessment could last anything from half an hour to half a day, and involve more than one assessor. Where possible, it will include access to:

  • boiler room or heating controls
  • roof space
  • air conditioning and/or ventilation units
  • gas and electric meters

Assessors may also ask to access other areas, depending on the size and type of your building. They may also need documentation relating to works completed or building plans. It’s up to you to make sure they have access to all the places and documents they ask for.

After the assessment

The assessor uses specific calculations to collate all the information gathered, and uses it to create a draft report – this can take a few days to produce. You then have the opportunity to review the draft. If you’re happy, your assessor will complete the report and submit it to the relevant register.

Once the process is complete, the EPC is valid for ten years, regardless of any change of ownership or tenancy. If the building’s owner undertakes any improvements during that time and would like to reassess the EPC, the whole process starts again. 



Raj Chall

About the author

Raj Chall is a commercial energy assessor and Section 63 adviser with Scottish Energy Services. Based in Glasgow, the company works with domestic and commercial clients across Scotland.

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