The Energy Performance Certificate or EPC is the energy efficiency rating of a property, precisely a building. The rating is represented graphically on a scale from A to G, where A stands for the most efficient energy performance and G stands for the least efficient energy performance. Side-by-side energy performance of buildings, the EPC depicts the environmental impact of a building in terms of Carbon Dioxide or CO 2 emissions.
EPC's are a direct outcome of the European Union Directive 2002/91/EC, inspired by the Kyoto Protocol that aimed at cutting back on energy consumption and ecological deterioration due to CO 2 emissions. Incorporated in Part 5 of the UK Housing Act 2004, this directive requires all houses and buildings in UK to have EPCs by 2009.
About 40% of UK 's energy consumption results from domestic uses - due to lighting, heating, air-conditioning and other household uses. The issuance of EPCs will be a concrete step in curtailing this massive consumption. They not only give an estimation of the energy efficiency, EPC's also have necessary information to help improve the energy-efficiency of a home/building.
EPC's provide complete details about Energy Savings Trusts that help house-property- owners with special grants and/or discounts to carry out necessary improvement work.
Lowering of energy consumption will cut down on carbon emissions simultaneously. This way, EPCs not only help save money and energy, but also successfully contribute to the cause of environmental improvement.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are now required for all commercial buildings whenever built, rented or sold.
The certificate records how energy efficient a property is as a building and provides A-G ratings. These are similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.
They are produced using standard methods and assumptions about energy usage so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of the same type. This allows prospective buyers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers to see information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions from their building so they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment.
An EPC is always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating. Each recommendation is assessed against the potential impact over three payback periods in addition to other measures based on an understanding of the building and indicates whether the impact is High, Medium or Low.
The certificate is important because nearly 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions arise from the way our buildings are lit, heated and used. Even comparatively minor changes in energy performance and the way we use each building will have a significant effect in reducing energy consumption.