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• Providing a Commercial Property Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

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Energy Performance Certificates and Ratings

An EPC informs the buyer about the energy performance of a property. It is a legal requirement for the seller, to provide a commercial EPC prior to your property being marketed. A copy of an EPC must be made available to potential buyers at all times. A commercial EPC is valid for ten years from the date of issue and this system is used throughout the EU.

If your commercial property has a total floor area of less than 50 square meters, or falls into the following categories, you will NOT be required to supply a commercial EPC;

• Buildings with low energy demand, for example, agricultural buildings
• Temporary premises that are intended to be used for less than two years
• Places of worship
• Buildings, which are scheduled for demolition

Energy ratings on an EPC vary from A (most energy sufficient) to G (most energy inefficient). The EPC ratings should be better for newer properties than older buildings. A higher EPC rating could play a big role in making your commercial property more attractive to potential buyers.

There are various ways to improve your commercial EPC rating, and to lower the cost of commissioning the report. For example, by ensuring that the EPC assessor is able to get easy access to all the parts of the building to be inspected. Another example to improve your commercial EPC rating would be to remove any portable heaters from your commercial property, as this could be seen as your property’s main heat source and would be considered to be an inefficient way of heating the premises.

You will require professional advice if you are looking into a considerable improvement of your commercial EPC rating or commissioning an initial EPC for your commercial premises.

Unlike a domestic EPC, obtaining of a commercial EPC can be a lengthy process and could take several weeks.

This is because commercial properties come in a wide range of sizes and shapes and different areas (basements, loading bays attics etc). This makes it more difficult for an EPC provider to assess. The certificate will include details of: construction, insulation types, the area of glazing and how each internal space is used, together with equipment used for ventilation, heating and air conditioning.