Energy Performance Certificate

EPC or Energy Performance Certificate is an assessment of a property's energy consumption along with measures to reduce the fuel bills and carbon emissions. The Energy Performance Certificate has arisen as a result of the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

These certificates need to be completed by an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) or Home Inspector. DEA's and Home Inspectors will offer guidance on how to reduce bills and carbon emissions. Nearly half of the UK’s carbon emissions are produced from buildings. That’s almost twice that of cars and planes. The way a building is constructed, insulated, heated, ventilated and the type of fuel used, all contribute to its carbon emissions.

The Energy Performance Certificate gives home owners, tenants and buyers information on the energy efficiency of their property. It gives the building a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’, where ‘A’ is the best and with the average to date being D/E. Energy Performance Certificates are measured using the same calculations for all homes, so you can compare the energy efficiency of different properties.

Certificates can only be produced as a result of a survey by an ‘accredited’ Domestic Energy Assessor. They are used to collect standard information on the property including its size, how it is constructed and its hot water and heating systems. The information is then fed into a government approved software programme which produces the certificate.

It is reckoned by The Energy Savings Trust that the average home owner will save around £300 a year on fuel bills if they follow the advice given on the Energy Performance Certificate.

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