Energy Efficiency
This information should not be taken as legal or technical advice and therefore no liability is accepted by its authors. Where appropriate, please seek advice from your professional advisers.
This section describes the help that can be obtained to improve energy efficiency by commissioning energy performance certificates and infrared thermography and by including appropriate design solutions to new or refurbished buildings. It also shows where help can be obtained for the many households that are currently experiencing fuel poverty. Please also refer to the links in the section ENERGY SAVING GUIDES AND ADVICE in the section: RESOURCES.
ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES (EPCs)
Before considering energy-saving improvements, it is advisable to assess the current status of the building in terms of its energy efficiency. Unless they are exempted from the EPC requirement, all domestic and non-domestic buildings in the UK that are available to buy or to rent must have an Energy Performance Certificate that is less than ten years old. Where the property does not have an EPC, it is usually possible to obtain one at a reasonable cost. The EPC shows the energy efficiency of a building by giving it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). The EPC indicates the likely cost of heating and lighting the building and calculates the likely level of carbon dioxide emissions. It can often indicate ways to save money on energy bills and improve the comfort of the building, and it can show what the energy-efficiency rating could be if certain improvements are made.
EPCs are required when applying for the Government’s Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed-in tariffs. Registered assessors who can visit the property and provide an energy performance certificate can be found on the following websites:
For home: Domestic Energy Assessors
For other properties, e.g. shops, offices and factories: Non-domestic Energy Assessors
The Government’s guidance on Energy Performance Certificates was made available through one webpage in 2019. Some buildings are exempt from the regulations. Where a property does not need an EPC to comply with current regulations, an alternative energy audit may be preferable if the existence of an EPC has onerous consequences through the application of the Energy Act 2011.
THERMAL IMAGING (infrared thermography)
A thermal camera can detect small differences in temperature. It creates an electronic image of the temperature differences and can show where heat is escaping from a building. The image can be used to identify air leakage, draughts, defective seals, thermal bridging and wet or missing areas of insulation. A thermal survey of a property can help to identify areas which need to be improved.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION DESIGN
An energy-efficient home should be comfortable and durable while saving energy and money. An energy audit or Energy Performance Certificate should be obtained to show how the house uses energy and to indicate how to reduce energy use. Before designing a new home or refurbishing an existing home, it is advisable to use a whole house approach, considering everything that will affect energy use in the house, including: occupant behaviour; climate; site conditions; electrical and electronic equipment; insulation; draught-proofing; lighting and natural daylight; ventilation; space and water heating; building fabric; renewable energy systems, and doors, windows and roof lights. Water efficiency and economy should also be considered.
FUEL POVERTY
The definition of fuel poverty in the UK has changed over the years, but the Wikipedia definition is helpful: ‘A household is said to be in fuel poverty when its members cannot afford to keep adequately warm at reasonable cost, given their income.’
According to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (28 February 2023), in 2022, 13.4 per cent of households in England (3.26 million households) were classed as fuel poor, an increase of 0.3 percentage points (95 thousand households) from 2021.
Advice on fuel poverty and its implications is available from Citizens Advice consumer service. Their contact details are available online.
The Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE) have a webage on fuel poverty.
The Government’s online calculator can check your eligibility for help with energy bills or energy-efficient improvements for your home.