Obtaining an EPC
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives a building an asset rating that assesses the building’s ability to be energy efficient.
For all homes that are physically completed on or after 6 April 2008, there will be a requirement to provide an EPC to the owner, with evidence shown to Building Control. If any building work is carried out to a home which creates (or combines) a separate dwelling that has heating, hot water or air conditioning, an EPC is needed.
When the building work is finished, Building Control requires a notice which includes an energy rating to demonstrate that the building complies with the Building Regulations. By the same date as the notice, an EPC must be ontained from an accredited On Construction Energy Assessor; this must then be given to the owner of the building and Building Control informed that this has been done. If the completed home is being advertised for sale, the EPC is available to include in a Home Information Pack for potential buyers, for the next 12 months.
EPCs come with a Recommendation Report which includes advice and suggestions on improvements to save money and energy, plus the rating that could be achieved if all the recommendations are followed. New homes usually have shorter Recommendation Reports because most money-saving improvements will have already been included in the design
If you are selling a home before it has been built, you will need to provide information about energy efficiency in a Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA). This is simply the predicted SAP and Environmental Impact (CO2) rating from the SAP calculations done at the design stage, to check whether energy saving targets will be met. You can use a spreadsheet template to create the graphics from the SAP rating. There is no need for PEAs to be produced by an accredited On Construction Energy Assessor and they do not need a Recommendation Report. If the home is completed on or after 6 April 2008, you will need to give the owner a full EPC and Recommendation Report once the property is completed.
Energy Performance Certificates must be registered and stored in the national register at www.EPCregister.com. with a unique reference number. This must be done by the On Construction Energy Assessor in conjunction with the accreditation scheme.