In 2007, legislation was passed that introduced the Commercial Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in the United Kingdom. All commercial buildings in Manchester require a this energy assessment for every, build, sale and rental.

This guide will show you how to use the EPC to your advantage. There is a push towards sustainability in Manchester, so getting a Non Domestic EPC is not just for compliance. It will help to improve the energy efficiency of your building and make it more attractive to tenants or buyers.

What Is a Commercial EPC and Why Do You Need One?

A Non Domestic Energy Performance Certificate, known as a Commercial EPC, is an assessment of your building where the end product is an energy rating on a certificate. The best rating is a Band A, the worst a Band G. Every Commercial EPC lasts for ten years.

As well as new builds, all business premises need an EPC whenever it's sold or leased. Its a legal requirement.

• Building Control require an EPC to sign off a new build or extension
• Sale or letting agents cannot market the property without an EPC
• Solicitors cannot process a sale without an EPC
• Courts will not evict a tenant without an EPC

While these are the legal reasons for needing an EPC, it can also be used to your advantage.

• A good score can attract more tenants and buyers
• Higher quality tenants prefer buildings with better EPC ratings
• It provides a clear plan to improve the energy performance of your building
• Lenders offer improved rates for buildings with a higher EPC score.

The Legal Requirements for Commercial EPCs in Manchester

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (2007) is the legislation responsible for Commercial EPCs.

Before construction starts on a commercial building, the design needs to be approved through a BRUKL report to make sure it hits building regulations surrounding energy efficiency. Building control will not sign off a new build or extension without this BRUKL report and the resulting EPC once the build is complete.

As part of any non domestic building sale, solicitors check for an EPC. They cannot process a sale without one.

A property needs an EPC within 7 days of it being marketed. Popular websites like Rightmove automatically remove listings from their website without an EPC.

An EPC for Commercial buildings that are leased is needed for all tenancies with a term of between 6 months and 99 years. If you've found a tenant without the help of a letting agent or traditional marketing, and you do not have one, evicting the tenant becomes more complicated. Courts in Manchester will not enforce an eviction without the correct documents being provided to the tenant, which includes the Energy Performance Certificate.

If you are selling, there is no fail mark on the EPC other than that imposed by the lender of the buyer. This varies from lender to lender. Band E and Band D are the most common benchmarks.

However, if you are leasing your building there are legal Non Domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (commonly shortened to MEES) that your building must achieve. Currently this is a Band E and it applies to all tenancies, new and old.

There is ongoing consultation with the view to tighten up these MEES. The proposed minimum band for a commercial property is a Band B! There is clearly some concern among business owners and investors. RICS have published a great article that summarises these concerns.

In Manchester, the City Council have published their own article that states that 85% of commercial buildings in the region are at risk of not hitting central government MEES targets.

How a Good EPC Score Can Save Your Business Money

More often than not Manchester businesses view the EPC as just a thing they need to comply with regulations. In other words, a box ticking exercise. However, if you embrace it, it can help reduce overheads and increase profitability.

The higher the Commercial EPC rating, the more energy efficient the building will be. The certificate itself gives the information you need to improve your score.

When improving the energy efficiency of your building we use a fabric first approach. This usually means improving the insulation in the walls, floors and roof before upgrading your heating system or installing technologies like solar panels. This method of approach stops the wasting of energy before you look for clever ways to make the most of it.

Grants are available to help your business. Almost £100,000,000 in funding has been awarded to Great Manchester Combined Authority through the central governments Levelling Up program. This funding is to be used across many areas in Manchester, and part of this is to help business become more competitive through green incentives.

Steps to Get a Commercial EPC in Manchester

If you're looking to get a Commercial EPC in Manchester or want to improve your EPC score, you'll need to speak with a qualified and accredited Non Domestic Energy Assessor (NDEA), like us.

We can handle your Commercial EPC Assessment in Manchester from start to finish.

During your assessment, our professional team will measure each room in your building. There's a list of things we need to check whilst we are on site too. This includes

• Heating & Cooling Systems
• Hot Water Systems
• Lighting
• Insulation
• Ventilation

Once we have everything we need, we'll use all the information to model your building in software that gives us your energy rating.

As part of our standard service, we'll answer any questions about the EPC and show you what you need to do to improve your rating.

If you're looking for a specific band, we can help. Over the years we've worked with many business owners in Manchester who needed a certain rating. Our consultancy service takes a deep dive into the energy performance of your building. We can model multiple scenarios and show you the exact upgrades you need to make.

A Manchester Business That Improved Its EPC Score

Recently we we're contacted by a company who operated out of a small office in Trafford. They we're re-mortgaging their building, a 1930s semi detached building. Their existing rating was a Band E on an old EPC and their lenders required a Band C for the funding.

We refreshed the EPC and recalculated the rating, which improved from a Band E to a Band D under the latest rules. After running multiple scenarios, we found that adding an 80mm insulation jacket to the hot water cylinder, costing only £15, was enough to achieve a Band C.

Our customer fitted the insulation jacket and we completed the Band C EPC. It was forwarded to their lender and the refinance was secured.

Take the Next Step in Getting Your Manchester Commercial EPC

As you can see, improving your EPC score or getting getting a specific band doesn't always need to be a lot of work.

High EPC ratings can attract more buyers for your property or a higher quality of tenant. You may even get a better financing rate.

Take the first step and book your commercial EPC in Manchester today.

Give us a call on 01925 699 321 or book online.