What is an Energy Performance Certificate?

From 1st of August 2007, each home will have to be inspected and an Energy Performance Certificate prepared, before a property is marketed for sale.

The Energy Performance Certificate is similar to certificates 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 property from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.

Two ratings are shown. The environmental impact rating is a measure of a homes impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions-the higher the rating, the less impact it has on the environment. The energy efficiency rating is a measure of a homes overall efficiency. The higher the rating, the more energy efficient the home is, and the lower the fuel bills are likely to be. The average property in the UK has band D-E for both ratings.
 
Each rating is based on the performance of the building itself and its services (such as heating and lighting), rather than the domestic appliances within it. This is known as an asset rating. The EPC also lists the potential rating of the building if all the cost-effective measures were installed.

The ratings will vary according to the age, location, size and condition of the building. The potential rating on the EPC will take these factors into account, and the suggested measures will be tailored so that they are realistic for the particular building.

The Energy Performance Certificates lists cost-effective measures that homeowners can take to improve the energy efficiency of the building. This can mean lower energy bills for the occupiers, and could make homes more attractive to potential purchasers. The certificate will provide contact details form the Energy savings trust, who can help you find out whether you could be eligible for grants or discount to help carry out the improvements to your home. It will also list simple ways that changes in behaviour can save you energy and money-without the need for any works.

All domestic Energy Performance Certificates are ledged in a central database. Energy Assessors lodge them as they produce them, and each is given a unique reference number. Access to the database is restricted, so only those who have the unique reference number can access the certificate for a particular property.