Energy Performance Certificate - EPC Now Legal Requirement

A friend of mine recently put his home on the market and found that the estate agents were able to officially declare the house for sale until an energy performance certificate or EPC had been provided for the house.

Much like their home information pack cousins the energy performance certificate has become a legal requirement. Since October 2008, whenever a building is built, sold or rented out the energy performance certificate has become a legal prerequisite.

There is a sliding scale in operation that rates building according to their energy efficiency. This scale runs from A to G with a home rating at A being the most efficient and of course G being the least energy efficient. British homes have recently been averaging an energy efficiency rating of D.

The EPC should now be provided by Accredited Energy Assessors, along with a detailed report explaining what can be done in a property to make it more energy efficient.

Generally there are two main types of energy performance certificate. A Commercial Energy Performance Certificate and the more common one when selling homes, is the Domestic or Residential Energy Performance Certificate. A Display Energy Certificate is a third that is used.

A brief outline of each certificate is detailed below.

Domestic or Residential Energy Performance Certificate

• Now required by law for homes bought, homes sold or homes let
• The residential energy performance certificate is valid for 10 years and can be reused within that period
• EPC to be commissioned by landlords – Landlords EPC
• Applicants must be permitted to inspect the EPC
• A free copy should be provided to a tenant prior to agreement.

The Commercial Energy Performance Certificate

• Very similar to a residential energy performance certificate
• Usually a non residential building need a Commercial EPC when built, sold or let
• Some buildings also fall into other criteria which would require a Display Energy Certificate or DEC in addition.

The Display Energy Certificate

1. A different certificate to both residential and Commercial EPCs
2. The DEC is required to actually show the energy usage of a building
3. Only required for buildings with useful floor space of more than a thousand metres squared and occupied by public authorities or institutions that provide public services to a large volume of people, where those people are required to visit the building.
4. Certificate must be visible and displayed to the public
5. Only valid for one year but accompanied by an advisory report which details the measures that have been taken to improve the energy efficiency of the building. The advisory report is valid for 7 years.

With the world being forced to become more environmentally and energy conscious, it is clear to see the necessity of energy performance certificates and the role they will continue to play.

As my friend found out, you won’t be able to sell your house without these certificates in place so it is important to know what energy performance certificates are as they can have an impact on huge decisions in your life.

Energy Performance Directive for Buildings in Scotland

The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD) came into force in January 2003, creating, a common framework to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings across the EU. The directive provides opportunity to substantially reduce energy use in buildings, which accounts for nearly 50% of all UK C02 emissions.
Key points of the directive are: • Setting minimum requirements for the energy performance of all new buildings • Setting minimum requirements for the energy performance of large existing buildings subject to major renovation • Identifies requirement for energy certification of all buildings (with frequently visited buildings providing public services being required to prominently display the energy certificate) • Identifies regular mandatory inspection of boilers and air conditioning systems in buildings.
EPBD implementation for Scotland
Member states were required to make the directive national law by 4th January 2006, and it was left up to each individual member state to decide at what level to set the actual performance requirements in the national building regulations.
1st May 2005 saw the new building standards system come into force in Scotland. This was the outcome of a six-year review which resulted in the legislation which makes directive's implementation possible: This was named "The Building (Scotland) Act 2003". The actual responsibility for implementing the Directive on behalf of Scottish Ministers has been handed to the Scottish Building Standards Agency (SBSA).
The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2006, laid before the Scottish Parliament in November 2006, and the guidance documentation came into force on 1 May 2007. These regulations apply in the first instance to new homes built after this date. They will apply to the sale of private homes from December 2008, and to rental and public buildings from January 2009.
Two EPC models have now been approved for use in Scotland, one for domestic dwellings and the other for all other building types.
From the 1st December 2008 , sale properties will have to be marketed with information, termed as the 'Home report'. This pack comprises three documents: a Single Survey, an Energy Report (which includes the EPC) and a Property Questionnaire. The Home Report should be issued upon request to prospective buyers. The Single Survey will consist of a property condition assessment provided by a qualified surveyor, a valuation and an accessibility audit for people with particular needs. The Energy Report will contain an assessment by a surveyor relating to the energy efficiency of the property and its environmental impact. It will also recommend ways to improve the property's energy efficiency.
The Energy Report will infer the property seller's compliance with EPBD. The information for the Energy Report is sufficient to allow for the production of an Energy Performance certificate (EPC), and will be used to prepare a Single Survey and Energy Report.
Energy Performance Directive for Buildings in Scotland provided here to improve the property's energy efficiency and its environmental impact. Just do watch this effective technique of Energy Performance Certificate to have a sound and robust practices to move forward.

Energy Performance Certificates Explained

Energy Performance Certificates have been devised to provide energy ratings for homes and businesses similar to the energy ratings provided on domestic appliances such as fridges and washing machines. They detail the cost of energy use in the home form heating and hot water to lighting and ventilation, and make energy savings recommendations.
When are Energy Performance Certificates required?
In Scotland, Energy Performance Certificates became a legal requirement on the following dates: • New-build properties - 1 May 2007 • Properties put up for sale - 1 December 2008 • Rental properties - 4 January 2009
Who needs to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate?
Energy Performance Certificates must be made available whenever a property is constructed, rented or sold. The directive stipulates that properties put up for sale must have a certificate which is no more than 12 weeks old at the time the property is placed on the market.
Landlords
All landlords must provide prospective tenants with a certificate which is no more than 10 years old at the point the property is marketed. The certificate must be displayed in the property in a suitable location such as in a meter cupboard.
Why are Energy Performance Certificates required?
EPC's are required as a direct result of the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings which came into force on January 4th 2003. One of the requirements of the Directive was the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates or (EPC) that must be made available whenever a property is constructed, rented or sold.
The end result is that each property is given an energy rating.
What information does the certificate contain?
The certificate provides a rating for the property, identifying its energy efficiency or lack thereof and its environmental impact on a scale from A to G in graphical format (where A is the most efficient and G the least efficient). Most properties in the UK currently fall into bands D or E for both ratings.
The certificate recommends ways to improve the property's energy performance, helping save energy, reduce costs and cut carbon dioxide emissions. The cost of recommended measures can vary depending on actions required, however the certificate distinguishes between those that cost under £500, such as installing energy saving light-bulbs and loft insulation, and those more costly improvements, such as double glazing, new heating or air conditioning systems.
It also separately identifies further measures to help achieve the highest possible rating for the property, but which could be more expensive, taking in excess of seven years to recoup cost in energy savings.
Energy Performance Certificate is a modern, powerful, easy and secure energy-based solution for unlimited amounts of energy to be unlocked, and know more on Energy Certificate .You then will be able to manage you soon