Why energy efficiency matters
If you've sold a house recently you'll be familiar with the unloved Home Information Pack, or HIP. Part of the HIP is a formal Domestic Energy Assessment of your home - and it's this assessment that generates an Energy Performance Certificate or EPC.
Although the HIP may not survive far beyond the next election, the Energy Performance Certificate certainly will since energy ratings are required under EU law for member states.
Extracts from an EPC are shown below. The certificate attempts to show prospective buyers how environmentally friendly your home is. It also tries to predict the fuel bills for a typical family living in your home.
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We often receive enquires from house-hunters asking us what the Energy Performance Certificate means and whether it's relevant. Our answer is "Yes - if a house has a low rating you're looking at high fuel bills". This demonstrates that some buyers are considering the energy certificate - which is exactly what the government intended.
The good news is that improvements you make to the efficiency of your home will be reflected in the Energy Performance Certificate. A good rating won't sell your home but it is a useful selling point and it means the investment you've made won't go unnoticed.
Of course improving the efficiency of your home saves money, improves comfort, and lowers Co2 emissions - but you knew that already.
