Energy Audits / MEES

The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 established the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the residential and commercial private rented sector. From 1st April 2018, phase one of the MEES regulations came into force, which has impacted landlords of private rented property.

As a result of these regulations, it is now unlawful to let properties with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below an ‘E’. It is estimated that around 20%-25% of residential and commercial properties in England and Wales fall below the minimum standards. It is also expected that the minimum standard will be increased further to a D rating by 2025 and a C rating by 2030.

EPCs (Energy Performance Certificates) demonstrate and indicate the operational cost (for dwellings) and CO₂ emissions of the property in conjunction with its thermal fabric and systems efficiency. The benefit of a higher rating can therefore be seen as:

• A benefit to Landlords as EPC improvement results to an investment benefit (Property value uplift: B- and C-rated properties have a green sales price premium of five percent compared to D-rated).
• A benefit to Tenants as EPC improvement results to lower heating (or cooling) costs (the average annual bill for a C-rated home is Half compared to the annual average bill of an EPC E-rated home) along with improved health as a result improved thermal comfort.
• A benefit to Society as EPC improvement results in lower energy use, and reduction in emissions of CO₂, a greenhouse gas associated with climate change.

Energy audits are carried out by members of our team to determine the performance and subsequent EPC rating of your property. The survey will include measuring and creating floor plans (if scaled plans have not been made available), checking and analysing its construction elements (floor, walls and roof) and installed systems (heating, cooling and ventilation). Furthermore, photographic evidence of those features are taken to be used only occasionally for external audit purposes. A digital twin of your property is then created in approved software, to determine the current rating of your building according to the current regulations, and for options of improvements to be tested. Recommendations will be tailored to the specific characteristics of the building, offering cost effective options. Listed Buildings and heritage features will always be retained and preserved.

To enquire about an audit on your property and what improvements could be made to improve its rating, please call us on 01865 378885 or through the Contact Us form.