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Press Release - June 08

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Now’s The Time To Be Energy Efficient

TIME is running out for companies to comply with new legislation designed to cut carbon emissions and improve the energy efficiency of commercial buildings. Phase one of the regulations was implemented in April but by October 1 this year all business premises over 50 sqm must have an energy performance certificate (EPC) at the point of construction, sale or rent.

The initiative is part of the Government’s bid to tackle climate change and it has recently launched a national advertising campaign to highlight the new rules and the action required. The move mainly affects commercial property owners and developers who are planning to sell or let premises. They must obtain an EPC for buyers or tenants and will risk financial penalties if they fail to do so. Improving a property’s rating, however, will save the owners’ money in terms of lower energy bills.

EPCs can only be issued by qualified assessors but delays in both the accreditation of course providers and the provision of approved courses has led to a shortage. One company already in demand to provide the new service, however, is surveying specialist Wilbourn Associates. The Sheffield-based practice has secured a contract from National Grid Wireless- one of the UK’s leading providers of wireless infrastructure solutions to the communications industry – and has surveyed six of its properties. Five of the buildings are office premises dating from the 1980s and 90s and the other is a former BBC transmitting station. It was constructed around 1926 and has undergone various extensions and refits over the decades, thus presenting an interesting challenge.

Wilbourn Associates planned ahead when the new legislation was announced and now has five employees in the final stages of gaining the accreditation. CEO Philip Wilbourn has invested £25,000 per member of staff to put them through the training and believes there will be a massive shortage of assessors, with initial numbers likely to be only in the tens nationwide. His practice regularly inspects premises of all types and sizes to address environmental concerns so incorporating EPCs into its wide range of services was a natural progression.

Several staff attended roadshows organised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and enrolled on the very first Commercial Property Energy Performance course run by the Building Research Establishment earlier this year. Three employees will soon be qualified to conduct Level 3 assessments and two will be able to carry out Level 4 surveys which, when combined, include almost every commercial property type from small shops and offices to large retail and industrial premises.

The practice has established a dedicated EPC department to guide companies through the process of obtaining a rating and to offer them advice about energy efficiency.

Among those undergoing Level 4 training at Wilbourn Asociates is chartered surveyor Phil Gelsthorpe who has found the practical experience especially useful. According to Phil, a few possible teething problems have already been identified, some of which are now being addressed.

“It is our understanding that discussions are ongoing between the BRE and the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) to clarify the boundary between Level 3 and Level 4 building types which is currently rather hazy,” he explained. “If the property is considered to be a Level 3 building, based on information available prior to instruction, and complex services are subsequently identified by the Level 3 assessor during the course of the site survey, the client must be aware that additional charges may be appropriate for a Level 4, or indeed Level 5, assessor to visit the site and complete the energy performance certificate.”

Each of Wilbourn Associate’s assessors will have completed a minimum of three EPCs in order to qualify and lessons learned from the experience will be put into practice to ensure the process runs smoothly. For example, some of the studies undertaken have involved properties that were found to have complex services not typical of such buildings. “In light of this, it is considered imperative that all relevant information is provided at the pre-contract stage,” stressed Phil.

He also admitted that putting together a fee structure for an entirely new product had proved challenging but again acknowledged the importance of carrying out the ‘trial’ surveys. “Our experience in undertaking three such studies for submission has proved invaluable,” he said. “A scale based on size alone is not wholly appropriate for the purposes of an accurate reflection of the work required to prepare an EPC. The size of a building may indeed affect the amount of data required for the modelling process in terms of its construction. However, the complexity of building services must also be considered.”

Inspections cover such aspects as insulation, air conditioning, glazing, heating, lighting and ventilation as well as general construction. The availability of building plans will minimise time spent on site undertaking the surveys but, in the absence of plans, sketches will have to be compiled by inspectors therefore adding to the time involved.

When all the data has been collected, the building is zoned against certain parameters and entered into the energy performance certificate modelling software. The resulting energy performance certificate and recommendations report then has to be checked, amended and forwarded to the accreditation body for verification before being lodged with the Landmark Information Group - the UK’s leading supplier of land and property search information. The certificates are valid for ten years but will not cover any additional refurbishment work carried out in the meantime.

Another aspect of the legislation in which Wilbourn Associate’s assessors will be qualified is the provision of Display Energy Certificates which are required for all public authority buildings with a floor area over 1,000 sqm by the October 1 deadline. These certificates are only valid for 12 months but an accompanying advisory report will last for seven years.

“Given the anticipated high demand for both types of certificate, qualified assessors are likely to be in great demand,” added Phil.

Wilbourn Associates’ website includes a useful EPC question and answer section which can be accessed at www.environmental-surveyors.com. For more information about commercial EPCs, or any other environmental surveying services, contact Wilbourn Associates on 0114 243 5500.

For further information about this press release please contact Philip Wilbourn at Wilbourn Associates on 0114 243 5500 / 07973 797011.



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