FAQs
What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
An Energy Performance Certificate provides an official energy rating for a property. It shows its energy efficiency and its environmental impact on a scale from A-G (where A is the most efficient and G the least efficient). It also contains recommendations for how to improve the building's energy performance.
When is an EPC required?
Virtually all buildings in the UK that are constructed, sold or rented out have to have an Energy Performance Certificate. An EPC should be ordered before a property is marketed for sale or rent and it should be made available to prospective buyers or tenants.
What does it involve?
In most cases it involves an energy surveyor visiting the property to carry out a survey. The information they collect is then used to create the certificate and recommendation report using Government approved Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) Software. On-construction EPCs don’t require a site visit but they do require plans, drawings and specifications to be supplied.
What happens during the survey?
An energy performance survey for a residential property typically takes between 20 and 60 minutes depending on its size. The surveyor will measure the area of the property and record information about its construction, heating and lighting systems. They require access to all rooms in the property and to the loft space.
How is the EPC supplied?
The EPC is supplied as an electronic document in pdf format. It will also be lodged on the Government-owned national database.
How long is an EPC valid for?
An EPC is valid for a 10 year period; they can of course be voluntarily updated during that period if alterations or improvements are made to the fabric of the building.