Understanding the EPC Survey Process for Commercial Properties in the UK

| By Author | January 4, 2024 9:51 AM ET

Commercial properties are a great fixed asset for many industrious business owners looking for capital gain. For businesses in the 21st century, an integral part of success is sustainability. People look to businesses with energy efficiency and sustainability as leaders and trailblazers. Commercial properties' energy efficiency has become an important metric by which properties are judged. That's why it is important to place the EPC survey and other property services in Sheffield as a front-runner of importance in business operations.

What is an EPC?

The term EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. It is a certificate that commercial properties receive after being looked into by an EPC surveyor. The survey process looks at all the energy functionality within the property and then scales this based on efficiency in a letter grading system. The grades run from A - to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. It's important to note that the commercial EPC differs from the normal household EPC. The commercial one is more rigorous and includes more steps, largely because the properties are usually bigger or need to output more, for example with a warehouse that does production. It is a mandatory act for commercial properties to have an EPC grading.

How to Prepare for the EPC Survey Process

Commercial property owners looking to pass the EPC survey process with flying colors need to ensure that certain things are in place. Part of the survey process is for the surveyor to take a look at all the building data, including the floor plan, which materials were used during the building process, the year of construction and any alterations the building has experienced. This will give the surveyor a better idea of what is being dealt with. Essentially, you need to be transparent with every bit of information that the EPC surveyor needs to access, which includes materials, light systems, controllers, circuits, water systems, sewage lines and the list goes on.

The EPC Survey Process

The materials: An integral part of the building process is the materials that were used. Certain products are now known to be harmful to the environment and whilst still sold, are not encouraged to be used. If the surveyor looks into the materials and sees that harmful insulation materials or unnecessarily processed materials were used or if there is severe water damage or mold, then the surveyor will use this as cause to give a lower rating.

Heating: A room that is known for heating is the boiler room. As this is largely the area that emits the heat for the whole building and can use a lot of electricity, the surveyor needs to see whether an old boiler is still being used or if a company has switched to a more sustainable route of solar heating, for example.

Lighting: One massive part of a commercial property's efficiency is how it is lit. The property must aim to use as many low-energy light bulbs as possible. For any bulbs that are under coverings, it's smart to remove these coverings before the EPC surveyor arrives so that you can save them time.

The Take Away

It's clear to see that the world is moving toward a more sustainable future. This is both private and commercial. Large corporations seeking to stay popular and relevant need to ensure that they are operating sustainably. Not only will this improve their reputation but it is cost-saving to the business too. Imagine your entire heating system being off the grid and relying solely on solar power - the savings around going green are both helpful to the pocket, as well as good for the world.