BUILDING OF LOW ENERGY USE

If a building (or the part of a building that is to be sold or let) can be defined as being of Low Energy Use then it may not require an EPC . Many agricultural buildings might fall in to this grouping as might some industrial buildings. However, it is important to understand the guidance that Assessors must work to before making this decision. When an assessor visits a property one of the key things that must be done is to identify the activity that would usually be conducted in each space. Offices; circulation (corridors & stairs); warehouse; workshop; industrial process area; storerooms; toilets, etc. All must be identified and evidenced by taking pictures. The calculation methodology will then be able to make assumptions as to the number of people likely to occupy the space, the equipment they might be expected to use and the heating and lighting needs to undertake those duties.

As an example, if a building is used only for lock up storage, with no facilities for human occupation (such as an office or toilet), then because storage is deemed to be an activity with no 'expectation of heating' and no other spaces in the building have an 'expectation of heating', then the building might be of Low Energy Use so long as there is no fixed HVAC in the building. Note that lighting alone does not condition a space and is ignored when considering this aspect of a building. Two other 'rules' to remember, whilst toilets do have an 'expectation of heating', if a toilet is the only space within the demise which does have an 'expectation of heating' but no fixed heating is actually present, then the demise might otherwise meet the requirements for a building of low energy use and might therefore not require an EPC.

If a building (or part of a building) does have spaces within its demise for which there is an 'expectation of heating' because the activity identified assumes that people will be required to work in those spaces, then even if no fixed heating is present (or has been removed in the mistaken belief that no heating means no EPC requirement) then there will still be a requirement for an EPC and a default level of heating (as currently defined within Building Regulations) must be applied by the Assessor. This could be detrimental to the final energy efficiency rating achieved for the building. The list of activities which have no 'expectation of heating' is defined in the Conventions to which all Assessors are required to work and this list allows only minimal discretion.