EPC revolution

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has published a report – Energy Performance Certificates: Enabling the Home Energy Transition – calling for a holistic ‘net zero-ready’ EPC system to support the decarbonisation of UK homes.

EPCs have become central to the way we demonstrate and discuss the energy efficiency of homes and have a much wider application than when they were first introduced. They are used in delivering retrofit programmes, regulations and financing. With the uptake of low-carbon heating technologies such as heat pumps set to increase, the EPC system will need to evolve to effectively support their integration into the UK’s home energy mix.

BRE is calling for a reform of EPCs including better use of the data collected in the assessment and recognition of the role local authorities will play in the net-zero transition. The report comes during a government consultation on a new Home Energy Model (developed by BRE) to replace the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) – the methodology used to assess and compare the energy rating of homes.

Read the report at bit.ly/BRE_EPCs

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