EPC for commercial and new-build properties
Chester Energy Assessors
EPCs for commercial property
Since 1st October 2008 most commercial premises regardless of size require an EPC when the building is being sold or being advertised for new tenants. Buildings used solely for storage or distribution, and some heavy industrial buildings are exempt. EPCs are not required if there is simply an extension of the lease to existing tenants. Please call Chester Energy Assessors on 01244-351644 for a quotation or send us an email giving the current or proposed use of the building, its approximate total floor area and the number of rooms.
Calculating energy efficiencies and losses in a commercial builidng is much more complicated than for domestic property so more detailed data collection and calculations are done and different software is used. For domestic buildings the EPC software uses the RdSAP calculation, whereas SBEM software is used for commercial property. Commercial properties, for instance, often have air conditioning systems, which are not common in domestic buildings. Also, the hourly pattern of use of a commercial building varies considerably depending on the nature of the business.
A commericial EPC requires an NDEA-qualified commercial energy assessor to inspect the property and take detailed measurements. The inspection time can range from 1 hour for the smallest shops and offices up to several days for large complicated buildings. The data is then analysed and inputted into the SBEM software. Two PDF documents are generated for the customer - one is the energy performance certificate (EPC) and the other contains the recommendations for improvement. The EPC will give you a rating band between A (good) and G (poor). It also gives the energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions calculated under standard user conditions.
On-construction PEA and EPC for new-build properties
A PEA (provisional energy assessment) and an on-construction EPC are required for new buildings in order to show compliance to Part L of the Building Regulations. They are calculated using the full SAP (Standard assessment procedure) calculations, as opposed to the RdSAP (reduced data SAP) used for providing an EPC on a previously-built house. A PEA is also required as a component of a Home Information Pack if the property is being sold off plan. Once built, the on-construction EPC should go into the HIP pack. Please call Chester Energy Assessors on 01244-351644 for a quotation or send us an email. We cover the north Midlands, Shropshire, East and NE Wales up to Chester and Cheshire.
