Energy performance certificates provide an opportunity to capture data on an asset that we rarely take the opportunity to really understand but, due to some bad practice in the world of EPCs contributed to by the way regulations have developed, question over their quality and accuracy still exist.
For too long the rating was not examined in any detail, so no one really needed to ensure the data captured was accurate and too many were happy to rely on default values as long as the rating was suitable for a sale or letting activity.
Regardless of your view on EPCs they will remain part of the conversation for many years as we collectively work out how we are going to bring commercial properties up to a B rating. So, how do we maximise their role in the journey to future compliance with MEES regulations and the longer-term objective of net zero?
A few points to consider:
- Who is providing your EPCs and what do they know about you, the requirements of the asset in question and the role of the data being collected? Engagement here is key. Do they know why you are commissioning the EPC? Is it just for compliance or do you want to learn more about what is holding the asset back and what you can do to improve the current situation? If it is the latter then it is important to make sure you have confidence your provider can respond to the challenge in way that helps you.
- How is your EPC created? There are lots of software packages out there that can be used to create EPCs – they are not all equal. Some provide a 3D digital model of your building, for example, creating a digital twin that includes all of the critical data points relevant to energy efficiency. This facilitates the better sharing of information and better decision making for the immediate and future requirements, without having to continually reassess – you always have an accurate reflection of your critical energy data.
- Are the recommendations useful? The recommendation reports that are autogenerated by EPC software should generally be ignored. Getting EPC improvement advice from organisations who understand buildings and can provide sensible engineered solutions is a critical part of the future journey.
- Do not waste the opportunity to gather other outputs such as the primary energy use and building emission rates. These are great for wider reporting such as CRREM or GRESB.
As well as legal compliance, EPCs have a big role to play as a tool in the decision-making process as we move to B-rating compliance and further decarbonisation.
Paul Holden is net-zero director at Carbon Profile
