Energy Performance Certificate for Non-Domestic Buildings: What It Is and Why You Should Have It

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for non-domestic buildings is a professional certificate that measure and assess the exact energy performance of a building that is destined to commercial use; in simple words, the EPC rates a building’s energy efficiency. For non-domestic buildings, the energy performance is based on the level of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and the efficiency is measured on a scale from A to G, with A meaning the building is extremely efficient and least polluting G meaning the building is extremely inefficient and most polluting. The EPC is compulsory for non-domestic buildings with a floor area greater than 50m2 and, once done, it will have a validity of 10 years.

The EPC and correlated report must:

1) Display an indication of current carbon dioxide emissions;

2) Provide an indication of potential emissions on an annual basis and also the potential energy use of the building; and

3) Record a list of cost effective improvements.

So, not only the EPC will give you an exact assessment of the actual situation, it will also provide you with a precise estimation of the potential energy efficiency that the building can achieve upon completion of the suggested improvements.

There are many reasons why you should get an Energy Performance Certificate for your non-domestic building:

1) First of all, if the surface of your building exceeds 50m2, you must have it by law. And you do not want to mess around with the law, do you?

2) What appears to be a cost in the short term (despite being a very affordable service it still is a negative invoice on your balance) will certainly translate in a cost reduction in the mid and long term. In fact, running a business in a building that is not energy efficient means you will experience some really painful moments when it comes up to read (and pay) your energy bills; on the contrary, an energy efficient building will produce much lower energy bills. Basically it’s up to you: better an egg today or 10 hens tomorrow?

3) The return on image that your business will have by being environmental friendly. Let me tell you a story: once upon a time (less than 1 year ago) one of the most famous companies in the world (Apple) decided to change the design of its electronics in a way that they were a slightly cheaper but also less easily recyclable. The reaction of such a small change was a true riot in San Francisco, where the city decided to boycott all the products from that “not eco-friendly” company. Despite San Francisco being yes a big city but surely not the centre of the world, this riot made Apple reconsider its move and go back to the “green path”.

As a result, the brand image of Apple improved and shares of Apple rose $ 7.66, or 1.3 per cent, to $ 606.56 in one afternoon of trading in the stock market.

Moral of the story: you might not be Apple and you might not be running your business in the hot San Francisco, but having an environmental friendly image will have positive monetary effects on your business and you (in case being able to sleep at night because you are contributing to save the planet was not enough).

Business Advisory Support Ltd is a market leader in energy cost reduction and has helped UK businesses to improve their energy efficiency securing savings in excess of £1 million. If you want to have your building certified, just get in touch and they will be able to discuss the most suitable solution for you.

website: http://www.advisorysupport.co.uk/

e-mail: info@advisorysupport.co.uk