The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has been advising the UK government on how it can achieve its target of zero carbon emissions by 2050. This goal might sound unachievable, but the government has already been putting strategies in place to help reach it on time. Recently, the Climate Change Committee recommended that all homes up for sale should have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above from 2028.
Below, we look at this concept and what it means for homeowners.
Key to Enabling the Target
According to the Climate Change Committee, homes in the UK are responsible for around 15% of UK greenhouse gas emission. For this reason, it is believed that by tackling the energy efficiency rating of these homes, the greenhouse gas emissions can be dramatically reduced.
They have proposed that all homes that are up for sale must have an EPC rating of C or above from 2028 onwards. Of course, in the UK only 29.1% of owner-occupied properties currently meet this rating so this requirement would require a lot of work.
What Is An EPC Rating?
In the UK, homes are rated on their energy efficiency using a scale between A and G. Homes that are the most efficient will have an A rating on their EPC certificate. Those that are least efficient will be rated G. An EPC is valid for 10 years from the day you get it. You don’t need to legally replace your EPC if it has expired and you are not reaching a new trigger point such as selling your home.
There are currently 19 million homes out of 29 million homes in the UK which currently have an EPC rating lower than a C. This means that, should the government take the advice of the CCC, these homeowners would need to make some serious upgrades to their homes to meet the new standards by 2028.
How Can You Improve The EPC Rating?
If you find yourself in the category of homeowners who will need to upgrade their energy efficiency rating over the next seven years, you have a few options. Some common options include switching your heating system to include an air source heat pump or investing in draught-proofing.
Additionally, you will want to consider upgrading to double or even triple-glazed windows as these can also impact the energy efficiency of the property.
Don’t Have An EPC?
Any properties that are available to buy or rent in the UK require an EPC. This comes as part of the home report and so if you don’t already have one, you will need to provide this.
At CMS Surveyors, we offer commercial and domestic EPCs that work for property owners and landlords. We can help you get an accurate EPC and learn where your property currently stands on the scale.
With the government taking energy efficiency standards more seriously in 2021, we must act fast to ensure we are all doing our part. Get in touch with CMS Surveyors today and we’ll help you get an EPC as soon as possible.