What is a DEC? A DEC shows the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption as recorded over the last 12 months within the validity period of the DEC (the operational rating). The operational rating is a numerical indicator of the actual annual carbon dioxide emissions from the building. The various types… Continue reading What are DECs?
Month: June 2026
DEC requirements
Why DECs are required The purpose of introducing DECs is to raise public awareness of energy use and to inform visitors to public buildings about the energy use of a building. DECs provide an energy rating of the building from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is the least efficient and… Continue reading DEC requirements
Frequently asked questions
How long is an EPC (EPC) valid for? An EPC is valid for 10 years or until replaced with a newer one. How much will an EPC cost? The price of and EPC has been set by the market and market demand. It is likely in practice that the cost will vary according to a… Continue reading Frequently asked questions
Consumer protection and enforcement
Checking the authenticity of an energy assessor An EPC must be produced by an accredited energy assessor. All domestic energy assessors must be a member of an approved accreditation scheme. To check that an energy assessor is a member of an accreditation scheme, a search facility is available on the central register website. If a person… Continue reading Consumer protection and enforcement
Assessment of representative units
Certification for units in blocks can be based on the assessment of another unit in the same block. Representative units should all be in the same building or block. What makes one unit representative of another will be down to the judgment of the energy assessor as to whether the data used for one building… Continue reading Assessment of representative units
Producing the EPC and recommendation report
This information will be fed into an approved software programme using a government approved energy assessment method. The appropriate software tools for commercial buildings are simplified building energy model (SBEM) or dynamic simulation model (DSM) (even if the building was originally used for residential accommodation). The software produces the certificate and the recommendation report for… Continue reading Producing the EPC and recommendation report
Collecting the information required for an EPC
Once the energy assessor has been commissioned to produce an EPC, there are 3 main steps to performing the assessment. These are: The energy assessor will need to understand the internal layout of the building and for what purposes it is designed to be used. This is to understand the energy demands of each individual… Continue reading Collecting the information required for an EPC
What contributes to the energy performance of a building?
The energy rating of a building is a complex calculation which is based on a combination of factors. The key factors are: The energy performance of non-dwellings is shown as a CO2 based index. The CO2 based rating a building receives depends on the energy used for space heating, water heating, ventilation and lighting, less any energy… Continue reading What contributes to the energy performance of a building?
Building use, tenancy arrangements and the requirements for EPCs
Offices blocks and mixed use buildings Office space can be let floor by floor, a number of floors or part of a floor. If a building has a common heating system, then an EPC may be prepared for the whole building and used for any part when sold or rented out. Common areas are included… Continue reading Building use, tenancy arrangements and the requirements for EPCs
Penalties for not having an EPC
Local weights and measures authorities (usually through their trading standards officers) are responsible for enforcing the requirement to have an EPC on sale or let of a building. Failure to make available an EPC as required by the regulations means the relevant person (i.e. seller or landlord) or a person acting on their behalf (i.e.… Continue reading Penalties for not having an EPC