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What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?

An EPC is a detailed report on the energy efficiency of your home. It also provides recommendations as to how you could make your home more energy efficient.

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is broadly similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines

Its purpose is to record how energy efficient a property is as a building. The certificate will provide a rating of the energy efficiency and carbon emissions of a building from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.

EPCs are produced using standard methods with standard 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 to improve the energy rating of the building. The certificate is also accompanied by information about the rating that could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.

When is an Energy Performance Certificate Required?

An Energy Performance Certificate is required when a building is constructed, sold or rented out. An EPC is valid for 10 years, except for sales of homes which are subject to the Home Information Pack Regulations 2007, where a Home Information Pack (HIP) is required. In these cases an EPC must be no more than 12 months old when the property is first marketed

Why do I need one?

From 14th December for all properties being sold in the UK must have a Home Information Pack (HIP) before they can be placed on the market. The EPC is one of the key components of the HIP. This will be rolled out to smaller homes over the following months and it is likely that all homes for sale will require a HIP and an EPC by the end of 2007.

Why have they passed this new law?

The UK government has introduced this in response to an EU Directive aimed at reducing the amount of energy used and carbon dioxide produced by buildings in an effort to tackle global warming.

Information gathered during an EPC

An internal and external inspection of your home is carried out. It will include:

• Wall construction
• Insulation and heat loss calculations
• Type of window
• Type of heating and hot water system
• Open fireplaces and secondary heating sources
• Identification of energy saving devices
• Identification of low energy light bulbs
• Insulation of the hot water cylinder
• Calculation of the areas of rooms, windows, conservatories and extensions
• Habitable room calculation

What happens next?

The information is input into a computer program that calculates the energy efficiency of your home and compares that to the maximum realistic efficiency that could be achieved given its age and construction. A certificate is then issued which states your home's energy efficiency rating and its potential rating and lists a number of cost-effective improvements that could be made to improve its energy efficiency.

Who can produce an EPC?

EPCs can only be produced by qualified Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) who are members of a licensed accreditation scheme. All such qualified and accredited individuals have followed an intensive training course and their background has been checked by the Criminal Records Bureau. The quality of their work is constantly monitored and checked at random by their accreditation body.