Sustainability Flashcards
What do you understand by the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (2015)?
Minimum EPC rating of E to let a building from 1 April 2018
All existing leases from 1 April 2023
1 April 2020 for residential
What are the exemptions of MEES?
If an EPC is not required for a building
Places of worship
Industrial buildings or workshops with low energy demand (no heating or cooling)
Not feasible to improve the EPC rating to an E or above
Residential landlords who have spent £3,500 an cannot improve the EPC above an E
Improvements would decrease the MV by more than 5%
3rd party consent (L, T, planning authority) for improvements is refused or constitutionality cannot reasonably be met by the landlord
What do you mean by a property is exempt from MEES if it is ‘not feasible’ to improve the EPC?
If all improvements with a payback of 7 years have been made and the EPC is still below an E then you can apply for an exemption:
3 quotes must be obtained for the improvement works from energy assessors
If the energy savings cover the improvement works within 7 years
How do you apply for an exemption from MEES?
Exemptions must be pre-registered on LA Exemptions Register
Do exemptions from MEES have to be renewed?
Yes - every 5 years
Can exemptions from MEES be transferred on sale?
Not all of them…
Who is MEES policed by?
The Local Authority
What are the penalties for non-compliance with MEES?
Breach of < 3 months - £5k or 10% of RV whichever is greater - max £50k
Breach > 3 months - £10k or 20% of RV whichever is greater - max £150k
How long is an EPC valid for?
10 years unless the building is altered
Is a new EPC required if a building is altered?
Yes
Where could you find an EPC?
On the online EPC register
When is an EPC required?
When a building is:
- Built
- Sold
- Rented
- Refurbished when heating / cooling has been altered and/or the building is subject to Building Regulations for construction.
What are the exemptions from EPCs?
Commercial buildings <50m2
Industrial buildings or workshops with low energy demand (no heating or cooling)
Listed buildings
Places of worship
Buildings with no heating
Temporary buildings with a planned usage time of < 2 years
Buildings due to be demolished / redeveloped
When must you commission an EPC for marketing a building?
Within 7 days of commencement of marketing (28 day limit for procurement)
Who are responsible for procuring EPC for marketing?
Agents
Do EPC ratings have to be shown on marketing particulars?
Yes and where space allows, the graph should be shown
If you are marketing an asset online do you need a link to the EPC?
Yes to show the front page
What is on the front page of an EPC?
Property Address
Floor area
Certificate reference number
Technical information on the property’s energy provision
Estimation of energy running costs
An energy performance rating from A+ to G
Benchmarking information - rating if newly built and rating typical of the existing stock
Who polices non-compliance with having an EPC?
Local Authority Trading Standards Teams
What are the penalties for non display of an EPC on marketing material?
Resi - £200
Commercial - 12.5% of RV (min £500, max £5,000)
What does BREEAM stand for?
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
What is BREEAM?
Voluntary environmental assessment tool to rate new and refurbished buildings
What are some of the environmental weightings which BREEAM assessors use to rate a buildings environmental impact?
- Energy Consumption
- Water Use
- Transport Links
- Waste Management
- Health and Well Being
What are the BREEAM ratings?
Pass Good Very Good Excellent Outstanding
