Commercial Energy Performance Certificates Yorkshire Lancashire

To prioritise the effective reduction of energy usage and CO2 emissions of a building it is first necessary to assess how well the existing building is utilising that energy, and then put forward recommendations for improvements.

     As from 1st October 2008:
     * ALL commercial buildings require a Commercial EPC.
     * ALL public buildings over 1000m2 require a Display Energy Certificate.

Will the building need a Commercial EPC or DEC?

HM Government has recently issued guidance documents for "Non Dwellings". To download a copy of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Non-dwellings: A guide for building owners, landlords and tenants and/or A guide to energy performance certificates for the construction, sale and let of non-dwellings (2nd edition July 2008) from the Communities and Local Government website, click here

We believe that the diverse nature of heating, ventilating, air conditioning, domestic hot water and lighting systems will be a limiting factor to the Energy Assessment being carried out correctly. There will be few people with the necessary level of previous experience to identify the equipment correctly. The role is ideally suited to someone with experience of installation and operation of commercial scale building services. It is debatable, for instance, whether many prospective Commercial Assessors will have the necessary knowledge of building services to identity whether a ventilation system is constant volume or variable air volume, whether a large steam boiler has an economiser fitted (or other forms of heat recovery), what the power factor of a site is, and whether power factor correction modules are in place.

Keith Hodgson, the main driving force and Inspector/Assessor for APP Inspections & Energy Services has a background of building services design and project engineering gained whilst working as Design and Projects Engineer for a local NHS Trust over a period of 18 years. This was a perfect grounding for the experience and exposure to complex building services that a Commercial Energy Assessor will require to effectively carry out assessments and produce the NDEPC.

Examples of previous experience particularly relevent to Energy Assessment are:
     Installation of 90kw Combined Heat and Power unit at Bierley Hall Hospital.
     Installation of 10,000lb steam boiler at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
     Installation of 3 no. domestic hot water calorifiers at Bradford Royal Infirmary.
     Installation of packaged domestic hot water Plate Heat Exchanger set at St Lukes Hospital.
     Installation of steam condensate recovery vessel and pipework system.
     Installation of variable refrigerant flow system with reversible heat pump to provide heating and
     cooling.
     Installation of many split and multi split comfort cooling units.
     Installation of special purpose ventilation systems for Operating Theatres.
     Installation of ventilation system incorporating chilled water cooling system.
     Installation of many diverse lighting schemes serving operating theatres, offices, display lighting,        fridge and freezer rooms, file stores, plant areas etc.

Complex (existing) buildings, and new build (off plan) commercial EPCs are deliverable due to our Level 4 qualifications.

                       *APPI will now be servicing the whole of England and Wales,*
      (either directly, or via the National Commercial Energy Assessor's Network).

The Commercial (or Non Domestic) Energy Performance Certificate has a 10 year lifespan, and is required prior to marketing for sale or lease. It includes a Recommendation Report consisting of short term, medium term and long term payback energy reduction measures. There is currently no obligation to instigate these measures (but watch this space for future Government "initiatives" and encouragement!).

The Display Energy Certificate (which is particularly for local authority and institutions providing public services to large numbers of people) relates to buildings of over 1,000m² with public access), is an annual assessment. The initial assessment also includes an Advisory Report, which has a lifespan of 7 years. It is based on the volume and usage of the building, and the previous three years energy bills. For more information about DECs please visit the Government's website here.

It is expected that commercial organisations wishing to portray an environmentally responsible image to the public will embrace the DEC voluntarily in the medium term.

The Cost:

Due to the individual nature of each and every Commercial EPC or Display Energy Certificate assessment, it is generally necessary to gather some preliminary information from potential clients before an estimate can be given. Please complete our web enquiry form and we will contact you, or if you prefer to talk direct to us, please phone.

Larger enquiries may require a meeting on site to establish size, complexity and information available.

Should multiple EPCs be required at one property (ie sub units), economies of scale can be negotiated where a single or reduced number of visits is applicable.

Areas Covered:

APP Inspections & Energy Services can service the following regions for Commercial EPC and DECs, although some variations will occur relating to the value of instruction. PLEASE ENQUIRE

Cumbria: Alston, Ambleside, Barrow in Furness, Beckermet, Bootle, Carlisle, Cleator Moor, Cockermouth, Dalton in Furness, Egremont, Grange over Sands, Grasmere, High Hesket, Kendal, Keswick Lazonby, Penrith, Seascale, Seaton, Shap, St Bees, Uldale, Ulverston, Whitehaven, Windermere, Workington
Derbyshire: Ashbourne, Bakewell, Belper, Birchover, Belper, Buxton, Chapel en le Frith, Chesterfield, Clay Cross, Clowne, Clodnor, Derby, Dove Holes, Glossop, Heanor, Higham, Ilkeston, Ironville, Long Eaton, Matlock, Mickleover, New Mills, Ripley, Shirebrook, Smisby, Staveley, Swadlingcote, Tansley, Tibshelf, Tideswell, Whitwell
Lancashire: Accrington, Bacup, Barnoldswick, Blackburn, Blackpool, Bretherton, Burnley, Burscough, Carnforth, Chorley, Clayton le Moors, Cleveleys, Colne, Coppull, Croston, Darwen, Earby, Fleetwood, Garstang, Hapton, Haslingden, Kirkham, Lancaster, Leyland, Longridge, Longton, Lytham, Morecambe, Much Hoole, Nelson, Newton le Willows, Ormskirk, Oswaldtwistle, Padiham. Parbold, Poulton le Fylde, Preston, Rawtenstall, Rising Bridge, Rufford, Skelmersdale, St Annes on Sea, Standish, Trawden, Warton, Waterfoot, Wier, Whittle le Woods, Whitworth, Wrea Green
North Lincolnshire: Barton on Humber, Brigg, Grimsby, Immingham, Scunthorpe
North Nottinghamshire: Gainsborough, Mansfield, Retford, Worksop
Yorkshire: