COMMERCIAL EPCs

You will have heard of the residential Energy Performance Certificates or EPCs that were instituted last year as part of the Home Information Pack legislation, but did you know that there is a Commercial Energy Performance Certificate that is currently being rolled out?

It is easy to assume that because both the residential and commercial EPC share the same name that they are similar entities and require similar surveys or skills, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is best to think of them as cousins, related in history, but separate families.

When is a Commercial Energy Performance Certificate (CEPC) required? You may not have been aware of it, but Commercial EPCs actually began to roll out this year, coming into force from April 2008. Already all non domestic buildings above 2,500 square metres that are being constructed, sold, major renovations or let will require a CEPC.  By 1st October 2008 this will be rolled out to all remaining commercial properties. As always there are exemptions, such as places of worship, buildings scheduled for demolition or temporary buildings. Anyone involved with any non domestic property should seek expert advice as to whether they need one or not, as there are stringent penalties for non compliance.

But that isn’t the only difference between the residential EPC and the commercial EPC environments. In the residential sector a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) can cover all existing domestic properties and provide EPCs as required. In the Commercial sector properties are broken up into Levels based on various property factors. A Commercial Energy Assessor has to be qualified for the property level that they are undertaking.

Implementation of measures

• 6th April 2008 - EPC’s for sale/rental/construction of buildings other than dwellings > 10,000m2

• 1st July 2008 - EPC’s for sale/rental/construction of buildings other than dwellings > 2,500m2

• 1st October 2008 - EPC’s for sale/rental/construction of all buildings other than dwellings.

Any property already on the market for rental or sale will also require an EPC by October 2008.

An advisory report is also provided, suggesting where improvements can be made to reduce the cost of heating or conditioning that space, increase the efficiency of your heat and air conditioning systems, and reduce your impact on the environment.

The inspection required in order to provide the EPC is very thorough and the time taken to compile and report could be anything from a day for a small lock up shop, to over a week for larger commercial premises. It includes:

• Analysis of building design
• Detailed building plans
• Analysis of building fabric and what building is used for
• Analysis of Lighting, Heating and Air Conditioning Systems
• Analysis of building structure and calculation of insulation measures in place
• Reports and graphs - diagnostics

Energy Assessors London is well-placed to help you be compliant with the new laws, and plan how to accurately and efficiently manage your commercial property, whether you run a small retail unit, a chain of factory units or large complex office blocks.

Our assessors are fully qualified, accredited and insured professionals who will carry out all the necessary checks with the minimum of delay. Our coverage is nationwide. Our established relationships with agents, solicitors and investors testify to our professional attitude and understanding of the commercial world.

The energy efficiency rating is a measure of the overall efficiency of a home. The higher the rating the more energy efficient the home is and the lower the fuel bills will be.

The environmental impact rating is a measure of a home's impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The higher the rating the less the impact it has on the environment.

Sample Commercial Energy
Performance Certificates (CEPC).

DEC - click here for more Information