Before we deal with that just a quick note about our last newsletter. It really came as no surprise when the proposed introduction of the legislation that we talked about was delayed - it now seems that it will be October when responsibility for having an energy performance certificate for a commercial building sale or letting will also become the agents responsibility. So those commercial agents who are aware are currently contacting us to ensure there is no room for litigation – and as a commercial agent you can protect yourself by contacting us sooner rather than later.
But today we are looking at the benefits of the epc to the landlord and the tenant which many people seem to have overlooked. We all know that an epc has to be produced as part of the sale or rental process for a commercial property. The energy performance certificate alone shows how efficient the building is in terms of its use of energy and what many people don’t realise is that the report comes in two parts.
The certificate itself shows graphically on a scale of A+ to G just how efficient the building is at the time of the survey, and this is relatively useful as it can be used as a benchmark. A+ being the most energy efficient whereas a G rating is the worst, therefore anything from an A to a G rating can be improved upon and savings could be made.
However the part of the report that shows how and where you can save money comes in the second part of the report which very few people seem to appreciate.
The recommendations report is probably the more important part as this identifies where savings can be made in terms of energy usage, and this in turn usually results in a financial saving. Something as simple as changing your fluorescent tubes to more energy efficient fluorescent tubes can result in the building being more energy efficient and therefore produce a cost saving. If you are using tungsten filament lighting then change to compact fluorescent and you will see a saving, in recent years the performance of these systems has greatly improved.
It is amazing the number of commercial properties with central heating with one central control. If there were thermostats fitted to each of the radiators then the system would be more energy efficient.
At the other extreme, in terms of the initial installation cost, the fitting of PV (solar) panels to the roof provide savings, and in some circumstances CHP, ground or air source pumps all provide energy savings and with the increasing cost of energy then the more economically and energy efficient minded landlords are all considering these alternatives.
Here at CEAUK we can help set your benchmark against which the improvements you make can be assessed and the financial benefits appreciated. The recommendations report we produce for your commercial property is unique to that property and if acted upon improvements can be made in your energy usage.
If you would like more information on how we can help then contact us and we will see what we can do to help you use less energy and become more efficient. Telephone 0870 770 8747
Labels: commercial agent north west and midlands, commercial epc, commercial property energy assesment, commercial property landlord
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