As most of us now know, buildings account for around 40% of global carbon emissions. This applies whether in the construction, operation or other phases of their existence. This has brought sustainability into sharp focus in recent years.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating scheme was introduced into England and Wales in 2007 for residential properties. The scheme was then extended, and now applies to a range of buildings including all factories, offices and public sector buildings. More recently, buildings have to display their actual, rather than just theoretical energy use.
The aim is to give buyers or renters of property an opportunity to see what the energy rating of their building is. As a result, they will be able to make informed decisions on the basis of that rating. Many tenants will include EPC Ratings for buildings they are taking on. The government has also set a target for 2027, when all buildings will need to be rated C or above.
For many landlords, this will mean there is work to be done to achieve that status.
Opportunities and Options
Possible options Chawton Hill can assist with include:
- Insulation – whether floor, wall, or ceiling, insulation can be one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to improve efficiency. Good application of insulation can improve energy consumption by around 46%.
- Glazing – we’ve supported many clients with refurbishment or wholesale replacement of windows. Options also include secondary glazing, which can be helpful in heritage buildings. This can impact energy consumption by around 25%.
- Door replacement – just replacing old door units with sealed, fire-rated modern doors can help to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
- LED Lighting and PV systems – we’ve worked with our friends at Powercor to help clients install low energy lighting and solar panel systems. These not only reduce energy bills, but during quiet periods, provide a source of income through feed-in tariffs to the national grid. For more on this take a look at our article in Construction Management.
- Heating and Water – the installation of modern, energy-efficient systems for heating and water can significantly reduce bills. Even small changes such as fitting modern thermostatic radiator controls help improve EPC ratings and reduce energy use by up to 18%.
All these measures and more can have a significant impact on the energy use in buildings. The best option for your asset will usually depend on the nature of the building and the ease with which each method can be implemented.
EPC Experience and Support
Over the past 24 years, Chawton Hill has helped a range of clients implement numerous changes and improvements to buildings. Ultimately, reducing energy use is not just a matter of improving the building’s rating on the EPC scale. It will almost always have a significant impact on the cost of running and the likely yield in the case of letting properties. As you might expect, improving energy efficiency in the built environment is good business.
Examples of past projects which have delivered significant energy benefits include:
- St Lukes School rooflight replacement.
- Nescot College window replacement.
- Kingston Riverside regeneration project.
- Oxshott community hub redvelopment.
We’ve also worked on other projects which have featured the installation and replacement of lighting and energy systems to schools, colleges and other clients.
Critical to ensuring success (though we would say this) is taking good advice. An experienced advisor can ensure the measures you implement are right for your building. Should you need any help or advice on implementing changes to improve the energy efficiency of your assets, get in touch today.