EPCs are required as part of the government's efforts to encourage energy efficiency in the UK. It will be necessary to obtain a certificate from an accredited assessor, and failure to do so could result in fines and damage to company reputations. Certificates will last for 10 years, rating the energy performance from A (best) to G (worst).

EPCs will use a modelling system which considers building design, plant and equipment efficiencies to predict energy use. It is also worthwhile bearing in mind that from 2009 legislation will be introduced to ensure that air conditioning systems are inspected every five years.

Interestingly, if you introduce some low-cost steps to cut energy consumption, such as turning down heating at night or by the introduction of energy efficient lighting, these measures will reduce your energy costs but they will not affect your EPC rating, because EPCs evaluate generic energy performance by considering materials and equipment efficiency - they do not consider what is known as 'operational energy'.

Even though we now have a phased introduction, has the government underestimated the number of assessors required? If so, this could delay bringing property to the market because the owner cannot get a certificate. Will higher performance centres attract a premium, thereby increasing the business case for energy efficient shopping centres in the long run? Only time will tell...

Don Lemen,

Partner, DTZ

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