Which buildings requiring an energy performance certificate?
An EPC is only required for a building when constructed, sold or let.
For the purposes of the regulations, a building is defined as:
“a roofed construction having walls, for which energy is used to condition
the indoor climate, and a reference to a building includes a reference
to a part of a building which has been designed or altered to be used
separately”.
For a building to fall within the requirement for an EPC it must:
• have a roof and walls
• use energy to condition the indoor climate.
Services that are considered to condition the indoor climate are the following
fixed services: heating, mechanical ventilation or air-conditioning. Although
the provision of hot water is a fi xed building service, it does not “condition
the indoor environment” and would not therefore be a trigger for an EPC.
The same argument applies to electric lighting.
Where a building is expected to have heating, mechanical ventilation or air
conditioning installed, it will require an EPC based on the assumed fit out in
accordance with the requirements in Part L of the Building Regulations.
A building can be either:
• the whole of a building
• part of a building, where the part is designed or altered to be used
separately.
To determine the requirement for an EPC in a building, the following should
be considered:
• Buildings with a common heating system
One EPC can be produced (or made available) for the whole building
and used when the building, or any part of it, is sold or let
If a part, designed or altered for separate use, is sold or let, an EPC can
be produced (or made available) for that part
• Buildings without a common heating system
An EPC should be prepared (or made available) for each part being
offered for sale or let. If an EPC does exist for the whole building (e.g.
as a result of construction) it is not possible to use this unless the
whole building is being sold or let