Have Energy Performance Certificates changed?

villabadger

Hi,

Maybe I don't understand EPC's very well but.... the content of the EPC on my house from 2009 is significantly different to the EPC on my neighbours house done this year. Their certificate clearly shows the heat demand for space and water but it is less obvious in mine, with just one overall figure. So, have the calculations changed?

In comparison to my neighbour, my house is nearly 3 x greater in total floor area yet the heat demand shows these figures (copied, as written):

Neighbour -
Total Floor Area = 143m2
Space Heating (kWh per year) = 16,049
Water Heating (kWh per year) = 2,779

My House
Total Floor Area = 406m2
Current Energy Use = 375 kWh/m2 per year

So, from these figures, is my heat demand 20 times more than my neighbours? Have they got the units wrong in my 2009 EPC?

My house is very old, with stone walls and mostly single glazed wooden sash windows. Though we do have decent loft insulation! My neighbours house is the same construction but with double glazing all round and, I assume, much better insulation.

I am looking at my EPC to try to work out what RHI would be possible for fitting a Biomass system. My number just seems to be too high....shouldn't it be 37.5kWh's?

Should I get a new EPC done?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Thanks

matelodave

Yes they have changed and I can't make head nor tail out of it either.

I have the benefit of two EPCs for my bungalow. One done in 2008 and another, done this year, so I could apply for RHI for my heatpump.

The 2008 EPC states the floor area is 129m2 and gives a rating of F32 with a heating lighting and hot water requirement of 576kwh/m2/year. Which suggest that I'll need 129x576kwh = 74,304 kwh which seems a bit excessive.
It had minimal loft insulation, storage heaters, cavity wall insulation and double glazing.

The new EPC issued in March 2014 agrees that the area is still 129m2 but now gives a rating of C71 and requires 12565wkh for heating and 2759kwh for hot water a totalling 15,324kwh/year.
It's now got 300mm of loft insulation, an air source heat pump and underfloor heating. The cavity wall insulation and double glazing are the same.

I agree that we've improved the situation but I doubt by 59,000kwh/year

To apply for RHI you need a green deal assessment and I'd guess an up to date EPC which has your new heating system installed and working. You have to provide the MCS certificate number as well.

Mattty

The figure shown on earlier EPCs is the primary energy use and not the heating and hot water demand. Primary energy includes the fuel that is needed to produce electricity and this factors in the efficiency of the UK's electricity supply. With some power stations being less than 40% efficient and the 5-10% distribution losses the primary energy used is quite high.

The primary energy use is actually still shown on newer EPCs on page 2 under the table of the summary of this home energy performance.

EPCs produced after April 2012 now have the heating and hot water demand on the last page needed for RHI calculations.

You have to have an EPC produced after April 2012 for the RHI which would be included in the Green Deal Assessment that you also have to have as part of the RHI application.

Clearly I have no idea about your property, But I have a client currently installing biomass in a detached listed stone property, single glazed and good loft insulation with a floor area of 450sqm and their total heat and hot water demand is 80,000kWh. This will generate an income of over £9,000 per annum for 7 years through the RHI and will reduce their current fuel costs.

Pincher

I used an EPC inspector for two EPCs, and he told me I got him at just the right time, as his accreditation was about to expire, and he was not going to renew it, so I got the second one just in time. It seems that the old system just required him to type some dimensions in and tick some drop down boxes, whereas the new system actually requires that he understands what he is ticking.


Hehehe.

villabadger

Thank you all for replying. At least you have confirmed that I'm not going nuts! It was sending me crazy trying to work out how the numbers on the different EPC were correlated and which number I used for the RHI payments.

So, any recommendations for a Green Deal Assessor in Devon? There seems to be loads of folks listed on the EPC register in my area but are these likely to provide the whole service? Typically, how much should I expect to pay for this service?

With so many people listed on this register you do get the impression that its the type of thing that you go on a course for a few days to become an 'expert'! So, how can I be certain that I choose a 'real deal, green deal assessor'? Sorry.......:rotfl:

Mattty

You won't find a Green Deal Advisor on a central register only energy assessors. The powers that be didn't seem to want the public to be able to easily find an independant GDA.

You could go to the main Green Deal site and do a search for assessor organisations and they may be able to find a local GDA for you http://gdorb.decc.gov.uk/green-deal-participant-register

I'd try these guys. There is a regional group in Cornwall and Devon http://www.dchi.org.uk/ you could look on their find a member section.

The Institute for the Development of Energy Assessment may be able to help too.

The biomass installers may also be qualified or will certainly know GDAs.

Price - Well the 450sqm one we charged around £250. But prices vary depending on circumstances.

Mattty

Pincher wrote: »

I used an EPC inspector for two EPCs, and he told me I got him at just the right time, as his accreditation was about to expire, and he was not going to renew it, so I got the second one just in time. It seems that the old system just required him to type some dimensions in and tick some drop down boxes, whereas the new system actually requires that he understands what he is ticking.

Hehehe.

I guess you are not far wrong. The auditing in the early days of EPCs wasn't too harsh - a few measurements (as few as 4) and half a dozen photos and your done. Some 'assessors' (or crooks) didn't even go in to the property.

The software gets tweaks every year to improve accuracy. April 2012 there were a lot of changes added and all assessors had to pass a new training course to continue working.

Now it's a bit different to 7 years ago- up to 200 peices of information (typically around 100) per house and a requirement for Dozens of photos, documentary evidence.

Fail a couple of audits and you can be suspended - you can fail an audit by missing a photo of a light bulb. So by forgeting to take (or upload) a couple of photos you could lose your income.

From November the software is upgraded again with even more data that needs to be collected.

captainhindsight_2

Yes the requirements for these assessments are changing almost every year. Assessing the energy efficiency of buildings was a new profession and they started with a very basic assessments and are quickly becoming very detailed over the next few years as it takes time to train etc. The reports/assessments will soon be more detailed than some chartered surveyor reports on domestic property, as the results are becoming more accurate for each improvement.

To find some one, you can go to EPC register this does not show Green deal assessors but does show energy assessors many of which may also be green deal assessors so you can call down that list to find some one local.

Or you can go to GDOrb, and search for a green deal assessor organisation and they will have a network of assessors but may not be local.

Smiley_Dan

Any plans to add air tightness to EPCs? I believe Ireland does this (I thought I read) but can understand it may be a bit more work...

sheffield_lad

Smiley_Dan wrote: »

Any plans to add air tightness to EPCs? I believe Ireland does this (I thought I read) but can understand it may be a bit more work...

Caroline Flint is looking into EPC's if Labour get in. I believe she is looking to detaching the epc from the point of sale/rental but would consult via a green paper according to a whisper I heard.

villabadger

Thank you to everyone who has replied. You have given me some very useful pointers.

Cheers