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Energy Performance Certificates, or EPCs, are ratings provided to indicate the energy efficiency of building and structures in the European Union. The most common use of EPCs is for buying and selling properties, as it provides an indicator of how energy efficient the home or property is and can be used to estimate how much residents are likely to pay for their energy bills.
EPCs are valid for 10 years from the date of issue, so if you are looking to rent or sell a property you will need to ensure your EPC has not expired. You can check the EPC of any property using the EPC register website (provided the owner has not opted out of the register).
EPC ratings are given on a banded scale from A to G, with the most energy efficient buildings being graded in band A. Properties must meet a certain number of SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) points for each band. On average, UK properties tend to fall into bands D and E, usually due to the fact that the properties are older and do not contain any retrofitted energy saving appliances. Therefore most households have a sizeable opportunity to improve their rating.
A building’s EPC rating is based on the presence and performance of several features including, but not limited to, loft insulation, radiators, boilers, double glazed windows, and hot water tanks. An assessor will visit the property in question, make notes about these factors, and these notes are used to generate the energy efficiency rating. Ultimately, an efficiency rating is given based on how much energy a building uses, and the CO2 emissions it produces.
Improving your EPC by making your property more energy efficient will contribute towards lower running costs. Your EPC certificate will contain an estimate of ‘potential future savings’ you could make by improving your home’s energy efficiency. Of course you’ll need to balance these savings against the cost of making the improvements, but many houses could stand to make significant savings by making small tweaks. As you’ll need to provide a valid EPC when renting or selling your house, making improvements to your energy efficiency will likely be reflected in the value of your property. At the very least, a higher EPC rating gives prospective buyers less material to haggle on price with.
The UK government is rolling out Smart Meters across the UK and is aiming to complete the process by 2020. Smart meters have many benefits, not least removing the need for taking manual meter readings. Smart meters also provide a display in your which allows you to monitor your energy usage and associated costs, meaning you are better informed about your energy expenditure. As a result, you’ll be able to identify areas of poor energy efficiency and manage them more effectively.
Your Energy Performance Certificate will contain a summary of the home’s energy performed related features, along with a grading system for each feature. The certificate will also contain some recommended measures for improving your property, including indicative costs and typical savings over the course of a 3 year period. While these measures will differ from property to property, we’ve provided an overview of some of the most common energy saving measures that property owners can take to improve their energy efficiency rating.
While these are some of the bigger steps property owners can take to upgrade dwellings, there are also many other day to day energy saving tips which can help to cut your home energy bills.
Please get in touch if you have any queries or complaints, and we will be happy to help you out with the information you need.
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