The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) explained

A typical inspection takes around one to two hours to carry out, depending on the size and layout of the property. After we have inspected your property, the energy inspector will use software to calculate the energy rating for the property. An energy performance certificate (pdf 37kb) will then be produced which will tell you all about the Energy Efficiency and the Environmental impact of your property. The certificate will tell you:

The energy performance certificate comprises of two main charts: Energy Performance Certificate

bullet formatEnergy Efficiency Rating

The energy efficiency rating is a measure of the overall efficiency of a home. The higher the rating the more energy efficient the home is and the lower the fuel bills will be.

bullet formatEnvironmental Impact CO2 Rating

The environmental impact rating is a measure of a home’s impact on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The higher the rating the less impact it has on the environment.

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) shows the energy current and potential energy rating of a property, known as a ‘SAP rating’. A ‘SAP’ rating stands for Standard Assessment Procedure and is the governments recommended system for producing a home energy rating. The SAP charts have been divided into 7 bands ranging from A-G. Each range has a set amount of ‘SAP’ points. Each chart has a current and a potential energy rating out of a maximum of 100 points (being maximum efficiency). As follows:

Band Rating Points
A 92-100 SAP points (Most efficient)
B 81-91 SAP points
C 69-80 SAP points
D 55-68 SAP points
E 39-54 SAP points
F 21-38 SAP points
G 1-20 SAP points (Least efficient)
What makes a different to the SAP rating? Below are some examples of aspects that can make a different to your property’s SAP rating.
Improvement Rating can be improved by Estimated Savings
Condensing Boiler *47 SAP points £225+ per year
Cavity Insulation *13 SAP points £100-£125 per year
Roof Insulation *10 SAP points £100-£125 per year
Cylinder Stat & Insulation *8 SAP points £100-£125 per year
Double Glazing *4 SAP points £10-£15 per year
Low Energy Lighting *2 SAP points £10-£15 per year
*Please note that these are only estimates and may be inaccurate.

bullet formatEstimated energy use, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel costs of this home

This tells you your current and potential energy use and carbon dioxide emissions per year. It also shows your estimated current spending on elements such as lighting, heating and hot water and what they potentially could be if you made the recommended improvements.

bullet formatSummary of your home’s energy performance related features

The summary will assess the key individual elements that have an impact on your home’s performance rating. Each element is assessed against the following scale: Very Poor/Poor/Average/Good/Very Good. The key elements that are considered are walls, roof, floor, windows, main heating, main heating controls, secondary heating, hot water, lighting.

bullet formatRecommended measures to improve your home’s energy performance

The report will contain a section showing what the recommended measures that can be taken to improve the property’s energy efficiency. We do not recommend that you carry out any of these recommendations yourself. We would strongly advise you to seek a professional in within the area of expertise required to discuss how the improvements could be made.