You’re reading this blog post because you want to puzzle out Commercial EPC Assessors. Scotland has decided upon a slightly different route to achieve improvements in energy efficiency, and instead of setting a threshold rating, require a Section 63 assessment to be completed which benchmarks the building energy use against the 2002 Scottish Building Regulations, and any works set out in the report need to be completed. From April 2018, it became a legal requirement that residential landlords must provide an EPC rating of at least E for their property. This was initially for new tenants undertaking new tenancy agreements, however from April 2023, all landlords with new and previous tenancies will need to provide an EPC with a rating of E or above. A domestic energy assessor will visit your property to carry out a survey to begin the process. This is usually a brief visit, depending on the size of the dwelling in question. They will take measurements to produce a simple floor plan of the property, take some photographic evidence of things like insulation and the heating system, and make notes ready to enter this information into a government-approved software package. The energy efficiency rating on an EPC is actually based on cost factors such as the type of fuel used for heating, hot water, lighting and ventilation. Currently if the property uses main gas it will score higher on the energy efficiency rating than a property which uses electricity. This is due to mains gas being cheaper per p/kWh than electricity. In Northern Ireland, the Department of Finance (DoF) and district councils have the duty to enforce the requirements of the EPC regulations. District councils enforce in relation to all but their own relevant public buildings in which case DoF is the enforcement authority. The MEES regulations apply to all non-domestic properties that are let pursuant to either an assured tenancy or a regulated tenancy (or a domestic agricultural tenancy) and are legally required to have an EPC. However, the MEES regulations do not apply to tenancies of over 99 years or of less than six months (with no option for renewal).
You can obtain an EPC certificate by visiting the EPC Register website and locating an assessor in your area. You will be required to share a copy of the completed assessment with prospective tenants, or prior to producing marketing materials for the sale or let of a property. SAP EPCs serve as standard EPCs that are valid for 10 years and that can be used for property transactions. Energy Performance Certificates can help you get a domestic, commercial or SAP EPC as soon as possible. This way, you’ll have no issues with selling, renting, leasing, building or converting your property. You will need an EPC within seven days of a property being marketed for sale or for rent – although if you are using an estate agent or letting agent, they should do this on your behalf. EPCs became a legal requirement in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2008, and in Scotland in 2009. Sellers and landlords who do not have an EPC can be fined up to £5,000. Public Buildings such as libraries, hospitals and council buildings may also require an additional type of EPC which is displayed in the public areas to display notify the energy efficiency rating of the building to visitors. This type of energy certificate is called a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) and must be produced by a DEC Assessor. Professional assistance in relation to
mees can make or break a commercial building project.
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Scheme There are different types of EPC and which one you need will vary depending on the property. You need to get an EPC assessor to survey the property in order to get the certificate. The price of an energy performance certificate is determined by the market. Costs will vary according to the size, type and location of the property. You can be fined between £500 and £5,000 based on the rateable value of the building if you do not make an EPC available to any prospective buyer or tenant. You’re likely already familiar with those colour-coded energy labels we see nowadays on electrical appliances like fridges and washing machines. As you probably know, they give you a good idea of how efficient your appliance is. An Energy Performance Certificate (or EPC) does exactly the same thing for your property. From 1 April 2023, a Landlord will not lawfully be allowed to continue any lease over a Property which does not hold a valid EPC rating. Therefore, landlords should start looking to improve the EPC rating of a property where this is necessary. The good news for tenants is that compliance with EPC regulations is ultimately the Landlord’s responsibility. You may be asking yourself how does a
non domestic epc register fit into all of this? Most our Energy Assessors are full accredited, polite and professional extending these qualities to you and your property. All commercial properties require an Energy Performance Certificate when being sold or let. Ratings are often used by tenants or potential buyers to make energy comparisons between properties. While currently acceptable, an E rating means there is room for improvement. And, with the UK government pushing ahead to meet net-zero targets by 2050, it’s looking increasingly likely that all UK homes will need to have an EPC rating of C or above in the not too distant future. Wondering how to to improve your EPC rating? There are many benefits to improving an EPC E rating. Not only will you be helping to lower your home’s carbon emissions but, the more energy efficient your home is, the warmer and more comfortable it is likely to be, too. The cost of an EPC is set by the market. It includes the travel time to the dwelling and back, the survey, the energy modelling, production of the EPC, the lodgement and compliance with any quality assurance procedures. The costs of EPCs may differ for the rental sector compared to those for private homes for sale. An accredited energy assessor will conduct a visual inspection of your property. They will take a measured survey, photographs, and calculate the EPC rating by looking at any potential for heat or energy loss, checking for insulation throughout the property, looking at how efficient the heating system and water is and ventilation. Your property is then graded according to a points system. The EPC has a role to play in the energy transition in view of the current climate situation. The UK has been at the center of global action to tackle climate change and has led the way by decarbonizing its economy. This document is in line with the Energy-Climate law initiated in 2019 by the UK to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. A team of Energy Assessors and Chartered Surveyors are uniquely placed to give advice on
commercial epc and provide a complete energy consultancy service.
Understand Your Energy Performance It’s mandatory that all homes in the UK have an EPC certificate, when they are new, sold or rented. Certificates last for ten years, and will need to be renewed once they run out. However, if you make changes to your home in order to improve your EPC score, you need to make sure you get a new one issued to reflect this. Under the current MEES regime, any new or renewal lease, or lease extension, granted in respect of commercial properties in England and Wales must (subject to certain exemptions) have a valid energy performance certificate (EPC) showing an energy efficiency rating for the property of between 'A+' and 'E' (with 'A+' being the best). Ratings of 'F' and 'G' denote the property as sub-standard in energy efficiency terms. Energy performance certificates are rating done on the energy condition of the house and it is just like the ratings that is done on fridges, cooker or washing machines. These certificates come with two ratings. There is the carbon dioxide emission rating of your house that gauges the impact of the house to the environment, and there is the energy rating that measures how the whole house is energy efficient. Under the current rules the amount landlords need to spend in order to get properties up to EPC band E is £3,500. Then they can register an ‘all improvements made’ exemption. But under the proposed changes this threshold would increase to £10,000. So it’s fair to say that if you’re a landlord the EPC rating of your property is very important. Making your home more energy efficient has a variety of benefits. It will not only help to reduce your carbon footprint, which is a crucial step in helping to tackle the climate emergency, but it could save you hundreds of pounds on your energy bills and help you to keep a warmer, happier, healthier home. A well-thought-out strategy appertaining to
mees regulations can offer leaps and bounds in improvements. Whilst a landlord can let a stripped out shell unit with a valid EPC from a former tenant fit out for the same unit, they will probably not be able to let a newly formed shell unit with no services, as the new EPC will assume default inputs for services, and will probably result in a sub-standard EPC. A certified Non-Domestic Energy Assessor (NDEA) will visit your property to undertake an assessment at a time that suits you. The NDEAs we work with are qualified to the level of your property and accredited by a government body. They are regularly audited to ensure that their work complies with high quality standards. Once on site, the NDEA will take all required measurements and record information necessary to calculate the EPC rating for your property. EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. It’s an official document required by law for any building in the UK to be bought, sold, or rented, and it reflects the energy efficiency of a building. A trained and registered EPC assessor collects information on heating systems, insulation, windows, etc. This information is calculated into a score, and you’re given a rating between an A (highest) and a G (lowest). The SAP measures how much energy a home will use to deliver a defined level of comfort. The assessment is based on standardised assumptions for behaviour (i.e. how many hours the heating is on) and occupancy (how many people typically live in a property of this size). Through following the recommendations on an EPC, dwellings will reduce their overall carbon footprint and be more environmentally friendly. Its always best to consult the experts when considering
epc commercial property these days.
Producing New EPCs Commercial EPCs are prepared using government approved IES (Integrated Environmental Solutions) software for your confidence. Assessors will conduct a site survey to identify your building’s rating based on factors such as the heating, lighting and ventilation. Alongside the EPC rating you will also receive a recommendations report, with actionable tips on how to improve energy performance and meet the minimum standards set by MEES regulations. It’s estimated that around 19% of commercial buildings will fall below the new MEES requirements. And that could reduce their capital value by 10%. Every commercial property must have a valid Commercial Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when it is built, leased or sold. Tough new legislation in the form of MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) means that from April 2018, every commercial building must achieve a minimum ‘E’ rating. If you are unsure of your properties’ rating, the EPC register and checker can help. The EPC register, a government database, can be used to search an energy performance certificate by postcode. You can use this to look up your own certificate as well as find the certificate for properties you are moving into. Stumble upon supplementary details relating to Commercial EPC Assessors in this
UK Government Publications web page.
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