The EPC Problem. Energy Performance Certificates have been around for many years. They indicate how energy efficient a property is and can give an idea about the cost of energy bills.
An EPC looks at the amount of energy a property uses and how to reduce the amount of energy being used. They also include a rating, known as an EPC rating. This is an overall indicator for the property. EPC ratings go from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least.
EPC And The UK Going Net Zero
The Government have put various actions in place to help the UK achieve Net Zero and reduce its carbon emissions. One of the initiatives bought in by the Government is for all homes to have an EPC rating of C by 2035. The move was announced in a 131-page document released by the Treasury earlier this year.
Previously, there has been little emphasis on EPC ratings by the Government. Achieving this goal relies on the public accepting the use of heat pumps in their properties as a replacement for current fossil fuel appliances like gas boilers. They are aiming to have 600,000 heat pumps installed in homes by 2028, which should improve the EPC rating.
Most Consumers Don’t Know Their EPC Rating
Despite this focus from the Government, it has been revealed that the majority of consumers don’t even know what their EPC rating is. The Mortgage Advice Bureau conducted a survey that revealed that just one-quarter of people know their current EPC rating for their property.
This could prove to be a major stumbling block for the Government, as many homeowners with low EPC ratings simply aren’t aware of the problem.
It seems that those aged 24 to 28 know the most about EPCs, and 38% of this age range know their current rating. Older generations are the least likely to be aware of these figures. Only 24% of those surveyed said they would be influenced by Government initiatives, while 22% said the legislation would lead them to make changes to their energy efficiency.
This leaves a huge number of people in the country who could hinder the Government’s Net Zero plans.
EPC Rating Goals Impossible For Many Homes
The Government haven’t just got problems with awareness among homeowners, but it has also come to light that a huge 1.7 million homes in the UK simply can’t meet the required rating of C. There are millions of properties with a current EPC between D and G, which cannot be improved enough to meet the C guidelines.
This is because they lack the potential for this level of improvement, even if they followed all the recommended steps to save energy. The same study found that 59% of homes currently have a rating of D or lower, so there are many properties to improve.
If you would like to find out the EPC rating for your property, Assessment Hive is here to help. Book your EPC assessment today by getting in touch.
