Energy Performance Certificate (United Kingdom)

EPCs were introduced in England and Wales on 1 August 2007 as part of Home Information Packs (HIPs) for domestic properties with four or more bedrooms.

[4] The legislative basis for EPCs in the UK is European Union Directive 2010/31/EU[5] as transposed into UK law by: The energy assessment needed to produce an EPC is performed by a qualified and accredited energy assessor who visits the property, examines key items such as cavity wall, floor and loft insulation, domestic boiler, hot water tank, radiators, heating controls windows for double glazing, and so on.

The assessor has the ability to over-ride these assumptions if visual or written evidence is provided to support the presence of insulation which may have been subsequently installed.

SAP and RdSAP are derived from the UK Building Research Establishment's Domestic Energy Model (BREDEM), which was originally developed in the 1980s and also underlies the NHER Rating.

EPCs are produced by domestic energy assessors who are registered under an approved certification scheme.

The average property in the UK is in band D.[8] The EPC will become more significant from April 2014 when Domestic Renewable Heat Incentives (RHI) become available.

The certificate includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy efficiency to save money.

In England & Wales, listed buildings are only exempt "...in so far as compliance with certain minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter their character or appearance."

A DEC is always accompanied by an Advisory Report that lists cost effective measures to improve the energy rating of the building.

However, to make it easier for public authorities with multiple buildings on one site to comply with the legislation, a site-based approach for the first year (to October 2009) is allowed where it is not possible to produce individual DECs.

This means that only one DEC will need to be produced based on the total energy consumption of the buildings on the site.

They were trialled in the UK under an EU-funded project also called "Display" and co-ordinated by Energie-Cités; participants included Durham County Council and the Borough of Milton Keynes.

[14] EPCs have gained some political controversy, partly reflecting the housing market crisis in the United Kingdom (2008).

Many in the housing industry, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, have criticised the introduction of EPCs, on the grounds of poor quality.

The energy assessor can either assume the worst ('as built' to Building Regulations for the dwelling's age) or rely on the householder to produce documentary evidence on what may have been installed.

Finally, EPCs pose particular problems for the owners of listed buildings, as improvements, such as double glazing, are often barred by the controls on changes to such structures, making it difficult to rectify low ratings.