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Energy performance certificates (EPC’s) tell you how energy efficient a building is.
They’ll tell you how costly it will be to heat and light your property, and what the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are likely to be.
EPC’s are valid for 10 years from the date of issue. If you don’t know if you have one or don’t have access to your EPC you can check the register here by searching via your postcode.
If you don’t have an EPC, it is vital you get one before starting your journey to improving your home as it will provide you with an understanding of the energy efficiency of your home. It will identify areas for improvement which could save you money and reduce your CO2 emissions.
You must get an approved domestic energy assessor to produce the EPC listed on this website – https://www.scottishepcregister.org.uk/assessorsearch
Alasdair Hall is Arran based and regularly does EPCs for Eco Savvy contacts. A Hall Electric & EPC, can be contacted via 01770 700317, 07956204666, or Alasdair@HomeCottage.uk.
Energy Efficiency Rating
Not all EPC’s look the same, the photos below are taken from an EPC Certificate dated May 2023. Older certificates will have most of this information, but may be in different colours and may look different.
Your EPC rating and top actions
The table below shows a quick visual comparison of the property’s energy performance, similar to the energy labels on home appliances.
EPC’s rate a property from A -very efficient to G – inefficient. Some EPCs also include a similar chart for environmental performance.
The table also shows the potential rating if you make the recommended improvements. For instance, in this example, the property could improve from band D to band B with the suggested energy upgrades.
Top Actions
Top actions outline the top 3 recommendations that you can take to save money and make your home more energy efficient. A full list of recommended improvements are listed further down in your EPC. Even if you rent a home, you could still make some improvements noted on the EPC, such as switching to more energy efficient light bulbs.
The energy performance of your home
This page provides a detailed breakdown of each element of your property, helping you understand its construction, heating and hot water system, and lighting.
Each element includes a description and an energy rating from 1 to 5 stars (5 being the most efficient).
Estimated energy costs
This section shows an estimate of the current and potential energy bills of the property. These costs are for heating, hot water and lighting – so in reality your bills will be higher as it does not include any additional energy costs from home appliances.
It’s really helpful for understanding how much lower energy costs could be with improved property energy efficiency.
Recommendations for improvements
This section is what some may call the most important section of the EPC – the recommendations!
Here you get a breakdown of the recommended improvements which also includes:
- An estimated cost of how much it would cost to install.
- How much you could save on your energy bills
- How much it would improve the energy efficiency of your property.
The recommendations are shown in the order of most importance. The energy efficiency improvement figures are based on making the improvements in that order. It’s worth mentioning that you may not be able to complete them all, or in the order listed but it’s a great guide to start with.
The number of recommendations listed will vary depending on which ones are applicable to the property. In the example below, the main priority is cavity wall insulation. The table below also shows the rating after the improvements have been installed.
Heat Demand
Here, you can see how much heat the property is expected to use and how to reduce it by improving insulation.
How much does an EPC cost?
Getting an EPC can cost between £60-£120. The costs of an EPC can depend on:
- The type of house you live in
- The size of your property
- The number of bedrooms
- Additional mileage costs may have occurred, depending on travel needed.
Also, if you are buying or selling a property you also must have an up to date EPC.
Next Steps
Once you have your EPC, now is the time to look into the recommendations and take the next cost and planet saving steps!
Please Note
At the moment there is a consultation on-going regarding reforming the EPC process as most people agree it is not fit for purpose anymore. Please note the savings on EPC assessments are purely indicative.Install costs often do not reflect the current market rates now. Therefore it is important that specific quotes are required.
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