Energy Performance Certificate EPC

Energy Performance Certificate EPC

Energy Performance Certificate Explained

Information regarding the actual cost for energy use and how homes or businesses use energy are contained in an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Where can I get a EPC Certificate from?

We at londonEPC.co.uk have a team of authorized EPC energy assessors that are qualified to perform EPC assessments to both domestic and commercial properties. The EPC certificate will also contain a recommendation report with it.

How is an EPC Calculated?

An EPC will rate your home’s energy performance in three areas:

1. Energy Efficiency By Fuel Cost
2. Energy Use Per Square Metre of Floor
3. Environmental Impact Per Carbon Dioxide Emission

These factors combined produce the energy efficiency rating as well as the environmental impact rating, (CO2 rating).

These ratings are categorized from A to G.  Colour coding is also used for energy efficiency scores.  The colours range from green to red.  Green is the best and it indicates that a home is highly energy efficient. Red is the worst and indicates that a home will have higher energy costs.  Numerical ratings are also used.  A home can be rated from 1 to 100.  The higher the number, the lower the fuel cost.

Colour coding is also used to rate the environmental impact.  The colours range from blue to grey.  Blue means that a home is environmentally friendly, whereas grey means just the opposite.  The home has high CO2 emissions, making it not environmentally friendly.  A numerical rating is also assigned and again, the higher the number, the less impact the home has on the environment.

Fuel Cost Estimate

Our EPC assessor at LondonEPC.co.uk will use the home’s occupancy, geographical location and heating patterns to create a table that will identify the cost to provide heating, hot water and lighting to the home.  The table will show the current energy use along with the potential use if the recommendations are put in place.  The assessor does the same thing for the environmental impact.

The current and potential cost for heat, hot water and light are listed.  This is done to illuminate the savings that could be acquired from following recommendations.

When viewing an EPC, it is important to look at the date of certification.  The price of fuel changes over time.

The Performance Summary

The EPC summarizes the home’s energy-performance features including, the floor, main heat source, heat controls, secondary heat, hot water, lighting, roof, walls and windows.  It delineates the actual cost and potential cost based on these features.

The features are assessed according to this scale:

1. Very Poor
2. Poor
3. Average
4. Good
5. Very Good

For example, a wall with no insulation is a cavity wall.  It would be described as poor.  A pitched roof that has 250mm loft insulation would be described as good.

To see a complete example, you can go the DirectGov website.

Suggestions provided from an EPC Certificate:

The EPC lists suggestions that can be implemented to accomplish cost effective improvements to performance ratings.  Typical savings and potential performance ratings after the implementation of improvements are outlined.  Improvements are divided into two categories, lower cost measures and higher cost measures.  Lower cost measures cap at £500, after that, improvements are labelled as higher cost.

An example of a low cost measure would be installing low energy lighting in each fixed outlet.  This would save £11.  A high cost measure would be replacing an old boiler with a new energy efficient model.

For each measure that is suggested, an explanation is provided so that a person will know the correct action to take.  Information regarding improvements that can be funded by the Green Deal is provided as well, (see below).

A person is not required to implement the recommendations included in the report.  However, implementing the recommendations can attract more buyers or renters due to the increased energy efficiency.

An EPC-holder can visit the EPC Adviser online and view the amount of possible savings from implementing the recommendations and the possible reduction in CO2 emissions.  A person will need to enter the reference number on the certificate.  (http://epcadviser.direct.gov.uk/epcadviser.html)

Situations that require an EPC

Three situations that legally require an EPC is new building construction, putting a home for sale, and putting a home up for rent.  As a landlord or homeowner, you will have to contact an accredited domestic energy assessor.  The assessor will perform the assessment and give you your certificate.

Energy and estate companies employ assessors.  Some assessors are self-employed.  In these situations, you need to make sure that your assessor is accredited.  To make this process simple, visit the energy performance certificate register website and search for accredited domestic energy assessors.  You can find them in the phone book too.

https://www.epcregister.com/searchAssessor.html

An EPC is good for 10 years. Our EPC prices start from £34.99, for more information, visit our pricing page.

When You Will Receive Your EPC

You will receive an EPC when:

1. Purchasing a home
2. Renting a home

In both situations, you are required to be given an EPC by law.  They should be free of charge as well. You are given the EPC so that you can see the energy costs of the property.

What About Businesses?

If you sell or rent a commercial building you must have an EPC for the building. For more information, please visit our Commercial EPC page.

The Green Deal

In October of 2011, the government started the Green Deal. The purpose was to help people get funding to make their property warmer, more energy efficient and more cost effective.

Under the Green Deal, you are able to choose the energy saving improvements you desire.  Then, you pay for those improvements via your electricity bill.  However, your electricity bill will not be raised more than the estimated savings determined by the EPC.  When you move, the payment established by the Green Deal is passed on to the new owner.

Whether you are a renter or a homeowner, you may be eligible for the Green Deal benefits.  For more information, please visit the Department of Energy and Climate Change, (DECC) website.