What is a Business Energy Performance Certificate
A Business energy performance certificate is a report commissioned by Local Authorities that allow businesses to see their buildings’ energy performance against other similar buildings. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates your building is using grades from A to G. Understanding the EPC could help you make important decisions about your business energy usage. If you would like to read more information or learn more about the pricing of business energy, you can do so here.
The History of the Business Energy Performance Certificate
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) was introduced by the Energy Act 2004, which consolidated previous legislation about energy efficiency. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was established in 2010 within the European Union, wherein member states were required to set out to ensure that all buildings have an EPC. The EPCs are designed to inform consumers about the energy performance of buildings so that they can take appropriate steps concerning the improvement of disclosure depending on whether they are purchasing or renting a property.
How do you Obtain a Business Energy Performance Certificate?
If your building is rented or leased, you can write to your landlord to ask for an energy performance certificate. If you are an owner, you can contact the NEF directly or work with a building surveyor. You can save energy while protecting the environment by knowing how much energy you are using. A certified EPC will tell you the current condition of your property’s energy efficiency so that you know where to allocate resources for improvements.
What is a Business Energy Performance Certificate used for?
A Business EPC can be used as evidence of compliance with legislation, or it can be used as evidence of an improvement in the building’s environmental impact. EPCs are also helpful for starting discussions with landlords on improving their building’s energy efficiency, leading to cost savings. If you own, lease or rent a property that takes energy to power its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting or appliances, you should request an EPC. This could include buildings owned by commercial landlords, small businesses or charity organisations.
One benefit of an EPC for you is that it will allow you to see how energy efficient your building is relative to similar buildings in the area. This can be useful in comparing the energy efficiency of different buildings to find potentially cheaper alternatives, either by committing to improved efficiency in your current building or investing in a new one. When making these decisions, you can use the EPC to compare the total cost of ownership over time, taking into account energy usage.
Once an EPC is available, you can also promote your business as being conscious of the environment. The EPC will provide evidence that you are using energy efficiently, which could impact your reputation. In doing so, you will also add to your company’s marketing material.
An EPC is primarily used as evidence of compliance with legislation. If your business involves accessing public money, you may be required to produce an EPC as evidence that you are taking action to be energy efficient and therefore reduce your carbon footprint. However, providing an EPC will not guarantee that you will receive public funds. It is always advisable to seek advice from the Local Authority or other funding body before undertaking any work.
How Much does it Cost to Obtain a Business Energy Performance Certificate?
The cost of obtaining an EPC range depends on the size and complexity of your building. The average cost of an EPC is between £100 and £120 per property. For example, the National Energy Foundation (NEF) advertises its services on its website, offering a standard EPC for £99 and a standard, enhanced EPC for £119. If you need to obtain multiple EPCs for your business, it may be more cost-effective to work with a company that provides discounted rates.
An EPC will list ways in which bills can be reduced by reducing energy usage. These recommendations may include reducing the cost of electricity by switching to an energy provider that uses renewable secondary sources. It could also include advice to improve the insulation in your building, fitting more efficient mechanical systems (such as reducing the power usage of HVAC), and installing energy-efficient lighting. As such, EPCs help identify opportunities to reduce costs and save energy. If action is taken, they can be used as evidence that your business is making progress towards energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
How Does a Business Energy Performance Certificate work?
The EPC has been criticised as confusing for both consumers and businesses because grading does not correlate with absolute energy efficiency; buildings with a low EPC rating may be more efficient than buildings with a high rating. Critics say that EPCs are a starting point for investigating energy efficiency and comparing the performance of similar buildings. Still, they should not be used as a decision-making tool on their own. The EPC does not consider the individual circumstances of an individual building and is therefore not helpful in comparing different building types such as offices and industrial units.
The data collected on the EPC includes:
- Square footage of each floor.
- The number of floors of your building.
- The number of people using the building and the purpose it serves.
This is essential data for calculating carbon emissions produced within buildings that are used for commercial purposes. By calculating the carbon emissions produced within your building, you can then use this data to help you with your environmental impact through electricity generation. You will also be able to access information about how valuable an asset your building is in terms of its energy efficiency. Suppose your building is more valuable than it would have been having it not been improved. In that case, you will be making important decisions when deciding where to invest in energy efficiency improvements.
The purpose of the EPC is to make buildings more energy-efficient and promote environmental awareness within private and public buildings. Using the information found within your EPC, you can make well-informed decision-making about improving your energy performance. Energy performance certificates are required to be provided to all types of business, both commercial and domestic. Businesses should use this, as it will help them form essential decisions about how to invest in energy efficiency improvements. You can read more about obtaining an EPC here.
Other useful links about Business Energy
5 Products and Services Dual Energy Can Provide for Your Business
Switching to Scottish Power
What is a Fixed-Rate Business Tariff?
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