Tips for reducing energy consumption and improving EPC ratings
A significant amount of UK property does not meet the UK government’s Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) target EPC ratings.
According to the Estates Gazette, some 120m sqft of commercial property, the equivalent of 199 Shards across England, will fail to meet the minimum EPC rating of band E by April 2023. This tightening in regulation, plus the rise in prominence of environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, as well as the rise in energy cost driven by the war in Ukraine, have highlighted the need for commercial property, and other property sectors, to act quickly and significantly to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Prior to carrying out an EPC test, or planning any energy performance retrofitting works, as listed below, there are numerous low cost solutions that can be easily implemented and will reduce energy consumption and emissions.
Regular Maintenance
Maintain boilers regularly to keep them operating at maximum efficiency.
Fix any drips and leaks within pipework and plug any gaps and cracks within the building fabric.
Remove obstructions from air ducts and radiators.
Check refrigeration equipment is well maintained. For example, check that no door seals are damaged and ensure that evaporator coils are not covered with ice.
Defrost freezers every six months.
Ensure that widows and skylights are kept clean.
Increased Monitoring & Control
During the summer months, isolate or turn off any boilers that are not required. Check the hot water temperature is no hotter than it needs to be. 60°C is sufficient.
Check the heating programme is appropriate for the building’s schedule and that it only comes on when necessary. Install thermostatic controls where necessary.
Turn heating down by a degree or two - this could lower your energy bill by at least ten percent.
If you have a zoned heating system, set lower temperatures in hotter areas like the kitchen and plant room.
Check that areas are not artificially lit when there is sufficient daylight.
Set photocopiers/ printers to be automatically on sleep mode after five minutes of not being used. This could save £150 per year per photocopier/ printer.
Put computers on stand-by over lunch and turn them off at the plug at night. This could save around £230 per year per computer.
Ensure lights are turned off when a room is left unoccupied.
In the summer months, use windows to cool the building before using the air conditioning, but ensure the windows are not open if the air conditioning is on.
Practical Steps & Improved Awareness
Switch to LED lighting where it’s possible to do so.
Insulate exposed heating and hot water pipework.
Ensure that internal and external doors are kept closed and install draft barriers and automatic door closure systems.
Ensure kitchen equipment is only turned on when it needs to be. Use microwaves as much possible.
Make sure the areas around pipework and ducting are properly filled in to improve the air permeability of the building.
Put up on-site reminder stickers and posters to help to raise energy awareness amongst staff. Train staff to turn lights and equipment off when not in use.
In addition to these simple low cost measures, it’s likely that many buildings will still require specialist energy performance retrofitting to reduce energy consumption and meet target EPC ratings. According to research from Savills, less than 10% of the UK industrial building stock would currently meet the UK government’s intended target of band B EPC rating by 2030, and over 50% of industrial stock is more than 25 years old.
Where retrofitting is required, essential building information is gathered to highlight where the most urgent problems are and where the greatest improvements can be made in a cost appropriate way. This information can include: lease terms, details of tenant and landlord maintenance responsibilities, building plans and drawings, current or obsolete EPC documentation and any available information on heating, cooling, hot water, ventilation, glazing, construction and lighting.