Domestic EPCs and Retrofit Assessments
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It is a legal requirement that owners or landlords of domestic properties that are to be sold or let / rented provide the new buyer or tenant with a domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
If you are selling:
Current laws state that when you propose to sell a domestic property you are required to have ordered an EPC at the time the property goes on the market.
Estate agents must ensure that a full EPC is uploaded within 28 days of marketing.
If you are renting:
The same law applies to a Landlord, whereby they must provide a prospective tenant with a copy of the current domestic EPC for the designated space.
On Construction or “New Build” EPC:
When a “New Build” is being constructed or a property is being converted, a different EPC is required for the completion of the Building Regulations - SAP EPC.
The information for the assessment is gathered from the architects’ plans and does not require a visit.
Retrofit Assessments
Dwellings that require energy retrofit work will first need to be assessed by a Retrofit Assessor.
Retrofit assessments are essential within the PAS 2035 process as they collect and provide property data/information which Retrofit Coordinators can use to develop a relevant improvement plan.
Retrofit Assessors use RdSAP to support their retrofit assessments alongside an appraisal of a property's condition and occupancy.
From discussions with the client, and the information provided from the retrofit assessment, the Retrofit Assessor can determine which installation measures are suitable for the property and can feed this information back to other stakeholders involved within the PAS 2035 process.
What is PAS 2035?
PAS 2035 is the new over-arching document in the retrofit standards framework introduced following the recommendations of the Each Home Counts review.
PAS 2035 essentially provides a specification for the energy retrofit of domestic buildings, and details best practice guidance for domestic retrofit projects.
Background
It is evident that significant improvements need to be made within the energy efficiency of the UK’s building stock, if we are to meet (global) carbon reduction commitments.
In 2015 the government commissioned the Each Home Counts review to identify and tackle the high level of failure present in domestic retrofit, and to determine a better process for the retrofit of energy efficiency and renewable energy measures.
PAS 2035 (Specification for the energy retrofit of domestic buildings) was introduced as a result of this review, with the backing of industry and the government department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Following a transitionary period the government has proposed to make compliance with PAS 2035 mandatory for all public funded projects which would include ECO funded retrofit projects.