Energy Performance Certificates

(asked on 30th June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the conclusion of the report by the Committee on Climate Change Reducing UK emissions: 2020 Progress Report to Parliament, published on 25 June, that "Energy Performance Certificate ratings have had issues with inconsistent or inaccurate estimations and measurements, leading to the likelihood that homes that do not meet efficiency standards can be rented", what plans they have to strengthen the Energy Performance Certificate system.


Answered by
Lord Callanan Portrait
Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This question was answered on 14th July 2020

Since 1 April 2020, The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and wales) Regulations 2015 require that, subject to certain exemptions, all domestic private rented sector landlords in scope improve their properties to a minimum energy efficiency standard of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band E.

An EPC Call for Evidence ran from 26 July 2018 to 19 October 2018 and sought evidence on how EPCs performed against three attributes: quality, availability, and encouraging action to improve energy efficiency. The forthcoming Summary of Responses will outline the evidence received, including on effectiveness of EPCs. Alongside this, we will publish an EPC Action Plan to maximise the effectiveness of EPCs as a tool for the future.

Additionally, BEIS is in the process of updating the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) – the methodology used to generate EPC scores. SAP is updated in line with the updates to Part L of the Building Regulations, usually every 3-5 years. The next version of SAP (SAP 10), was consulted on in 2017 and is due to come into force with the updated version of Part L of the Building Regulations.

This SAP update together with the EPC Action Plan will help ensure home energy performance assessments are as accurate as possible.

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