6th April 2008 saw a new requirement for buildings
introduced. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are
now required for all newly built homes and any commercial buildings
built, sold or rented with a total floor area that exceeds 10,000m2.
EPCs rate the energy efficiency of a building in the same way
electrical appliances are rated. The A-G rating positions
the most energy efficient buildings at the top of the scale with
an ‘A’ rating, while the least energy efficient are
given the ‘G’ rating.
Energy efficiency is calculated by taking into account factors
such as the type of construction of the building, the heating,
cooling, ventilation and lighting systems used and whether the
building is divided into ‘zones’ with different purposes
i.e. office space, factories etc.
Non-residential buildings are assessed on an index based on
the CO2 emissions of the building. Rated on a scale of
0-150+ a lower number represents lower CO2 emissions and higher
the energy efficiency.
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