Better Prepared are assessors for domestic and new build properties.

An EPC will be required whenever a building is constructed, sold or rented out and, for private houses and flats it is a central element of the new Home Information Pack legislation. EPC's for rented houses and other buildings become mandatory during the course of this year.

Following an examination of the property the assessor will issue a certificate which classifies a building based on its annual CO2 emissions per unit floor area. The results are presented both as a numerical SAP rating and also as a banded scale from A to G, in a similar fashion to the way the white goods are currently banded where A is the best and G the worst.

The EPC covers various aspects of a building, including the following…

• Insulation of walls, floors and roof structures
• Type and efficiency of heating systems for water and space
• Air conditioning
• Thermal efficiency of windows and doors

The certificate includes a series of recommended improvements to the property, designed to improve energy performance and save money on fuel bills. Typical recommendations range from insulating cavity walls or roof voids through to improvements in heating systems and their controls or lighting systems.

Landlords, home owners, architects and builders can all learn more about the Energy Performance Certificate by contacting the Better Prepared team.