EPCs: History and Requirements
Energy performance certificates (EPCs) have been created and established from legislation which has been passed in both the British and European Parliaments since the turn of the millennium. Since its original inception, the energy performance certificate has proved a useful tool in assessing the energy efficiency of all domestic and commercial properties in the United Kingdom. EPCs are still a legal requirement and they have been extracted from the original accompanying legislation which had been widely regarded as a failure.
The origin of EPCs stems from European Union Directive 2002/91/EC. This Directive was enacted in 2003 as part of an effort to reduce the levels of carbon emissions issued by all the member states of the European Union while also showing co-operation with the Kyoto Protocols. While outlining the general features of EPCs in the preamble, Article 7 specifically details elements and principles pertaining to the testing, certification and enforcement of energy performance regulations which all European Union Member States must adhere to in some form.
In the UK, this took the form of the Housing Act of 2004 which created the Home Improvement Packs (HIP) that featured Energy Performance Certificates. The EPCs were defined to a much greater extent in 2007 with the introduction of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales). This reinforced the regulations that any property which will be sold or let must obtain an Energy Performance Certificate prior to being marketed. While the HIP was largely regarded as a failure and repealed by the Localism Act of 2011, the EPCs have remained as an important legal requirement for all properties about to be marketed in the United Kingdom and features a fine of up to £5000 for failure to comply.
The Energy Performance Certificate itself is a 5 page document which features a bar chart displaying the energy efficiency of the property as a standardised comparison between other properties of the same type. It also features recommendations for improving this rating which are cost efficient and beneficial to the energy efficiency rating. Under new guidelines for EPCs, introduced in April 2012, there are also details of the estimated costs of the property in its current condition as well as the potential savings which could be made were the suggested improvements acted upon. This will also help inform tenants and purchasers of the potential which the property has and could help improve its desirability compared to other similar properties in the area should a high score be recorded.
In order to get commercial or domestic EPCs, fill out our online form and My London Tradesmen will contact companies on your behalf. You will then be supplied with up to 3 quotes, leaving you free to decide which tradesman to employ based upon the quotes you have received.
All of the tradesmen we use have received up to date training and are registered with all of the necessary bodies. We only use reputable and trustworthy tradesmen.