What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides information on the official energy efficiency, heating costs and carbon emissions of a property. These ratings are recorded in a graph from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G representing a very inefficient property. It also contains recommended ways to improve the building’s energy performance. The EPC is a required component of the HIP packs required by law for your property.
All EPCs are produced by licensed Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) or Home Inspectors and in order to join an accreditation scheme a candidate must first gain an approved qualification.
The EPC certificate looks similar to the certificates you find on your domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. The certificate displays two graphs. The energy-efficiency rating is a measure of the home’s overall efficiency. The higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the home is, and the lower the fuel bills are likely to be. The other graph is an environmental impact rating and is a measure of the home’s impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions.
The higher this rating is, the less impact it has on the environment. The ratings also list the potential rating of the building if all cost-effective measures were installed. At the foot of the table the fuel costs required to run the property are displayed.