Energy Performance Certificate software

Effects of using SBEM

Buildings that use electricity as the main fuel are all achieving far better ratings compared to the older version. However, it has been found that buildings with gas as the main source are not performing so well. (Although if there is a mixture of radiators and air conditioning units in the unit, some of these have also improved). Industrial properties, with gas heating in their warehouses, are the main units found to be negatively impacted.

From the 50+ sample EPCs we have re-run, all but one of the buildings that use electricity as the main fuel have improved.

In units where the heating/cooling is delivered via an AC system, some of these units have improved by upwards of 30+ points. The majority of existing C rated units have now improved to B ratings. Even a number of D rated units, if conditioned by an AC unit have also achieved B ratings.

The results achieved are in line with the Governments plan to de-gas buildings.

How to improve your EPC rating?

SOCOTEC recommends that the EPC sampling is re-run in the new software, before you look to improve your buildings based on the old software recommendations.

Currently the government has stated that we are not allowed to re-run the calculations and lodge the new EPC without another site inspection, regardless of when the original inspection took place. The accreditation bodies are challenging this and asking if inspections that were undertaken up to six months ago can be re-logged without another site inspection.

How can SOCOTEC help?

SOCOTEC can undertake a desktop exercise on all the EPCs we have undertaken for a client over the last few years to identify which units could improve.