Who’s responsible for providing the Commercial EPC for a newly constructed / extended building?

When a building being constructed is physically complete, it is the responsibility of the person carrying out the construction (Contractor) to give an EPC and recommendation report to the building owner and to notify building control that this has been done. Building control will not issue a ‘certificate of completion’ until they are satisfied this has been done. See fig 1 for an example of an ‘Enforcement Notice’ from Building Control. You can read about commercial epc prices  and epc exempt properties here.

Fig 1. Example of an ‘Enforcement Notice from Building Control’

What about Shell and Core buildings (Empty, completely bare units)?

With regards to buildings / units that are sold or let as shell & core without any heating, air conditioning, hot water services or lighting systems at all, but where they will be fitted out and there is the expectation that energy will be used to condition the indoor climate, an EPC should be provided.

The EPC should be based on the worse case maximum design fit-out specification as used for compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations (in respect of the building’s use class in planning legislation). Part L ensures that building work conforms to current energy performance standards.

Where there are no services installed or insufficient information being supplied. Part L defaults are applied, which is based on assumed (worst case) scenario for that particular component, service/ system allowed under the current regulations. Therefore, the most energy intensive fixed services fit-out allowed under Part L will be assumed. Any subsequent fit-out must comply with Part L of the Building Regulations. The services installed will either be as assumed or more energy efficient if the new owner / tenant chooses a more energy efficient specification than Part L.

Note, that an additional EPC is required for a Shell & Core building being fitted out for the first time

What about a building that is being modified?

If a building is modified to have more or fewer parts than it originally had and the modification includes the provision or extension of fixed services for heating, air conditioning or mechanical ventilation (i.e. those services that condition the indoor climate for the benefits of the occupants) then an EPC will be required. When the modifications are physically complete, it is the responsibility of the person carrying out the modification works (Contractor) to give an EPC and recommendation report to the building owner and to notify building control that this has been done. Building control will not issue a certificate of completion until they are satisfied this has been done.

The requirement for an EPC to be made available to a prospective buyer or tenant does not apply until construction or modification of the building (to have greater or fewer parts designed for separate occupation) has been completed.

If you have any further queries relating to commercial EPC’s you can contact us by clicking here. Next week we will be publish part 2 of “Some common questions encountered when performing a Commercial EPC assessment.”