Under a change to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime, Commercial premises in England and Wales which currently have an energy performance certificate (EPC) are now required to display this publicly.
Energy Performance Certificates (ECPs), a short report on the energy efficiency of a structure and how it can be improved, are required throughout the U.K. EPCs are legally required when a new building is constructed, when an old building is being sold or let and when commercial units are created in an existing building.
One purpose of the Energy Performance Certificate is to ensure that potential tenants and purchasers have information on building energy performance. It’s also a way for the government to encourage the owners of existing property to improve their buildings’ energy efficiency so that the U.K. can meet its targets for lowering green house gas emissions. A building owner can face a £5000 fine if they do not make the certificate available to potential buyers and tenants.
An Energy Performance Certificate uses a bar graph to show the building’s energy rating, which is rated from ‘A’, best to ‘G’, worst. It reports on building characteristics, such as window glazing, boiler efficiency and amount of insulation, that impact the building’s efficiency. It also gives suggestions for improvement.
Most commercial buildings require Energy Performance Certificates, but there are a few exceptions. For example, an EPC is not required when a lease is simply being extended. They’re not required for temporary buildings, for detached buildings of less than 50 square metres or for buildings that are due to be demolished. Non-residential agricultural buildings and other buildings that aren’t normally heated and cooled don’t require certificates, nor do listed buildings and buildings in conservation areas. Churches and other places of worship are also exempted.
The change will apply to all ‘non-dwellings’ over 500 sq ms which are visited by the public frequently. This includes buildings occupied by a public authority (police stations, council buildings, etc), of which the previous requirement only applied to buildings larger than 1,000sq m. From July 9th, 2015, the requirement will apply to buildings of 250 sq m and larger. However, a display energy certificate will be valid in smaller public building for 10 years, as opposed to the one year validity for buildings over 1000 sq m.
Another change – and one that directly affects us here at PropertySales.com – is that the EPC rating will now need to be included on all property advertisements. This is great news for property hunters and investors, as vital information about a property will be readily available to you by law, making your search easier and more reliable.