Policy briefing: Energy performance certificates
By law, a seller or landlord must provide an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when marketing their home. Property owners have so far spent around £650 million on EPCs, but we don't think this value has been realised for those paying.
Relatively minor changes by DECC and DCLG to the way EPCs and their data are calculated, accessed and applied in policy would help consumers take control of their energy use.
In the commercial world, at present, data is the holy grail. Just because they have been developed by the public sector, EPCs must not simply seen as a bureaucratic instrument. Accurate and accessible data could unlock the delivery of energy efficiency guidance in the smart meter rollout, differential mortgage lending, and the cost of compliance for property marketing and housing standards.
The attached briefing sets out the changes we think necessary to realise the full value of EPCs and their data through the consumer journey.