Are Commercial (Non-Dwelling) Energy Performance Certificates Useful?
Like it or not Commercial Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are here to stay, so why not make of the most of them? Commercial EPC is a part of a package, designed to help the UK meet its Kyoto Protocol targets, for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. By definition the reduction in emissions means a reduction in energy use, which means there are financial savings to be made for the owners and occupiers of buildings. The EPC is produced using the Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) software, with various front-ends to allow the assessor to input data. The energy assessor/surveyor attends the building and makes measurements of the internal geometry, and an audit of the fixed building services such as: heating, cooling, and lighting and also makes a note of the occupancy use of the different areas or zones within the building. This allows the software to build up a picture of the buildings and produce an Asset Rating. However, the EPC as a compliance document does not curre
