News

Should all properties have a minimum energy efficiency standard?

Published: 10-05-2018

• Private rented properties must achieve minimum EPC rating of Band E.
• Owner-occupied properties don’t need EPC rating until they are sold.
• High number of properties built before 1960, with low energy efficiency.
• All properties should have EPC ratings by 2025.

From 1^st April 2018, installers across England and Wales have had to help customers with privately rented properties to achieve an Energy Performance Certificate of Band E, or higher. Why don’t they need to do the same for owner-occupied properties?

“Owner-occupied homes form the majority of our housing stock, but they remain largely unregulated,” says Martyn Bridges, our Director of Marketing and Technical Support.

“This is strange, when you consider the number of houses built before 1960 that, by modern standards, will be highly inefficient.

“A better target would be for all properties to hold an energy rating by 2025. This would give us a more accurate picture of our current energy performance and help us to identify areas of improvement.”

According to Martyn, realistic targets will help an installer’s customers to achieve lower energy bills, while building an installer’s reputation as a provider of high-quality, efficient heating systems.

“A new boiler is usually all that is required to lift a property’s EPC rating one whole band,” Martyn says. “Worcester has a range of energy-efficient boilers to offer, as well as smart controls, which, when combined, make a highly efficient, modern heating and hot water system.”