There’s a range of legislation that applies to businesses:

Since 6 April 2008, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are required under the Energy Performance in Buildings Regulations (EPB Regulations) for any commercial building over 50m2 that is bought, sold or rented.

This certificate gives information about how energy efficient the building is and is available to owners, prospective buyers and tenants. It has two parts – a graphical element and a list of recommendations.

Energy certificates need to be provided by certified energy assessors who are members of an approved scheme.

In addition, you also need to ensure that, under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, all air conditioning systems with rated outputs over 12kW are inspected at least every 5 years.

We can provide EPCs for your building.

Get in touch for more information.

Changes have recently been introduced which affect how non-residential buildings must comply with building regulations for energy efficiency.

This affects improvements to your building including:

  • Extensions
  • Change of use of a building that will require the renovation or upgrading of thermal elements (like walls, floors and roofs) or windows
  • Altering, renovating or extending thermal elements or controlled services (like drains)
  • Improving the energy efficiency of the whole building
  • If you’re making any improvements to your building, you need to make sure that you’re improving the energy efficiency of the building at the same time.
  • This is referred to as “consequential improvements”.

You need to achieve a minimum improvement of 10% of the value of the work. The types of improvements that could be made include:

  • Upgrading heating or cooling systems with new hardware or controls
  • Upgrading air conditioning or lighting systems
  • Installing energy metering
  • Upgrading walls, floors or roofs or replacing windows and doors

Once the work is done, you will normally be issued with a certificate of completion.

We can help you with identifying ways to improve the energy efficiency of your building.

The CRC scheme applies to large public and private sector organisations. It aims to improve energy efficiency and lower emissions.

If your business used over 6000 MWh of qualifying electricity through settled half-hourly meters, then the scheme applies to you. Organisations that meet the qualification criteria must participant and register.

As part of the scheme you need to:

  • Monitor your energy use
  • Report your energy supplies every year
  • Buy allowances to offset every tonne of carbon your business emits

We can help you to minimise the energy you use, reducing the cost of allowances.

ISO 50001:2011 is the international standard that sets out the requirements for setting up, maintaining and improving an energy mananagement system.

It provides a framework for businesses in all sectors to manage their energy use by:

  • Developing a policy for more efficient use of energy
  • Setting targets and objectives to meet the policy
  • Making better use of data to understand and make decisions about energy use
  • Setting out procurement practices for equipment, systems, processes and staff
  • Measuring and documenting the results
  • Reviewing how well the policy works
  • Working to continually improve energy management

We can help you become certified to ISO 50001:2011 standards.

All large companies need to do energy audits from 2015 onwards. It’s thought that about 7,300 organisations will be affected.

The Carbon Trust predict that this will require an average investment of circa £15,000+ per annum. But, if recommendations are implemented, average savings could be £56,400 per year.

If you fail to comply, your business is subject to fines from the Environment Agency. The scheme requires you to:

  • Measure your total energy consumption
  • Conduct energy audits to identify cost-effective energy efficiency recommendations
  • Report compliance to the Environment Agency (as the
    scheme administrator)
  • By 5th December 2015, you must notify the Environment Agency (as the scheme administrator) that you have complied with the scheme.

Find out more about ESOS on the Government website.

As part of the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections)(England and Wales) Regulations 2007, allall air conditioning systems with rated outputs over 12 kW at intervals need to be inspected at least every five years.
Building information modelling (BIM) is a process involving the generation and management of digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of places. Building information models (BIMs) are files (often but not always in proprietary formats and containing proprietary data) which can be exchanged or networked to support decision-making about a place.

BIM software is used by individuals, businesses and government agencies who plan, design, construct, operate and maintain diverse physical infrastructures, such as water, wastewater, electricity, gas, refuse and communication utilities, roads, bridges and ports, houses, apartments, schools and shops, offices, factories, warehouses and prisons.

Contact us for more information…

If you rent property, you should be checking your agreement to see if you are liable for any improvement work. Under the Energy Act 2011, the property needs to meet the standards for energy efficiency. See the Energy Act for more information.