EPCs
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and the Inspection of Air Conditioning Systems
The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificate and Inspections) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 focuses on three areas:-
· Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
· Display Energy Certificate (DEC)
· Inspection of Air Conditioning System
Energy Performance Certificates
An EPC is an energy labelling system which has been introduced to measure the overall energy efficiency of buildings, not unlike the system used presently on white domestic goods. An EPC provides a rating A to G for the energy performance of a building. The ratings are set against standard criteria to enable one building to be compared with another of a similar type. “A” is a high energy efficient building and “G” being a low energy efficient building.
An EPC is required when a building is being placed on the market for sale, placed on the market for rental or when a new building is constructed or significantly renovated, for example by the addition of an extension or changes to the heating system.
It is the legal duty of home owners, landlords and builders to make sure that they hold an EPC for their property when it is required, and a copy must be handed over free of charge whenever the building is sold or rented.
An EPC is valid for ten years and can only be produced by a competent and accredited energy assessor, for details of energy assessors in your area check local press or visit www.niepcregister
The following types of buildings are exempt under EPC legislation, and do not need an EPC:
· Places of worship;
· Temporary buildings with a planned lifetime of less than two years;
· Industrial sites or workshops;
· Non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand;
· Stand alone buildings with a useful floor area of less than 50m² which are not dwellings.
Display Energy Certificates
Similar to EPCs, Display Energy Certificates (DECs) provide an energy performance rating A to G for public sector buildings. Unlike EPCs the DECs take into account how the building is being used, as well as the physical components of the building, and takes the previous year’s energy usage of the building into account.
A DEC is required for all public sector buildings that have a total useful floor area of over 1000m² and are frequently visited by members of the public.
The DEC must be displayed in a prominent place within the building and be clearly visible to the public. A DEC is only valid for one year and must be updated annually.
A DEC must be accompanied by an advisory report which provides recommendations on how to improve the energy performance rating of the building. The advisory report is valid for seven years and does not need to be displayed to the public.
A DEC can only be produced by a competent and accredited energy assessor who is accredited to produce DECs. For details of energy assessors in your area check local press or visit www.niepcregister.
Inspection of Air Conditioning Systems
An air conditioning system with an output rating of more than 250kW (reducing to 12kW from 4 January 2011) must be inspected at regular intervals not exceeding five years. The air-conditioning inspection report must include an assessment of the air-conditioning’s efficiency and the sizing of the system compared to the cooling requirements of the building, and give advice on possible improvements to the system, replacement of the system and alternative solutions. It is the responsibility of ‘the relevant person’ to ensure that the building they are responsible for has the necessary air conditioning inspection report. A ‘relevant person’ will be the person who controls the operation of the system that is the person who controls the technical functioning of the system, not someone who does no more than adjust the temperature. This could be, for example, the Building Manager or owner.
If you control the operation of an air-conditioning system affected by these Regulations, it is your responsibility to:
· ensure an inspection has been carried out in accordance with the requirements
· keep the most recent inspection report made by an energy assessor
· give any inspection report kept by you to any person taking over your responsibilities with respect to the control of the air-conditioning system
If you have taken over control of an air-conditioning system from 4th January
2011 and you haven’t been given an inspection report, you must ensure the
system is inspected within three months of taking over such control.
An inspection can only be performed by a competent and accredited energy assessor who is accredited to inspect air-conditioning systems. For details of energy assessors in your area check local press or visit www.niepcregister
Energy Assessors
Energy Assessors must be properly trained and qualified and members of a suitable accreditation scheme. These schemes will maintain a list of their members and should be able to provide contact details of assessors local to any BT Postcode. The national register of accredited energy assessors is available at www.niepcregister.com
You will need an accredited assessor that is qualified in the specific area of work to be carried out, for example a DEC assessor can only carry out DEC energy assessments.
A typical domestic EPC should cost between £50 and £150 with a commercial EPC or DEC costing more depending on the size and nature of the building.
Penalties Enforcement
Local Authorities have the legal authority to fine individuals if they fail to provide a relevant EPC, DEC or Air conditioning Inspection Report.
- EPCs: Vendors and landlords are legally obliged to make available an EPC at the time of purchase or rental. For domestic properties the fine is £200 for each complaint. The penalty for failing to make an EPC available to any prospective buyer or tenant when selling or renting out non-dwellings is fixed, in most cases, at 12.5 % of the rateable value of the building, with a default penalty of £750 where this formula cannot be applied. The range of penalties under this formula are set with a minimum of £500 and capped at a maximum of £5000.
- DECs: An enforcement authority can issue a penalty charge notice of £500 for failing to display a DEC at all times in a prominent place clearly visible to the public, and a penalty charge notice of £1000 for failing to possess or have in their control a valid advisory report.
- Air Conditioning Report – The penalty for failing to have an air-conditioning inspection report is at present fixed at £300
More Information
Contact the EPC team on 02890270432 or free phone 0800223004 or contact your local council’s Building Control office.
Department of Finance & Personnel (DFPNI) website:
