A recent article by Oliver Shah in React News (EPC ratings – an expensive form of greenwashing?) has prompted some interesting industry debate around EPCs. As the industry moves on a net zero trajectory, are EPCs still the way forward? Shah is sceptical. Yet more recent commentary presents, arguably, a more balanced view:
- This article (EPCs are not perfect but they're a force for change), again in React News, from Sam Carson (head of sustainability, valuation and advisory services at CBRE UK).
- This LinkedIn post (EPCs & MEES: an industry working with imperfection) from Sarah Ratcliffe, (CEO at Better Buildings Partnership).
Both well worth a read.
The author's view: yes, EPCs are imperfect but (1) combined with regulation as to minimum energy efficiency standards, they have focussed minds and (2) the government have long since recognised various imperfections, but have done pretty much zilch (see Ratcliffe's references to 2021 consultations). If the legislative machine continues to work at such a glacial pace, and with no time to waste on climate change, wholesale abolition of EPCs does not feel like the sensible way forward.
These certificates are clunky things, and the methodology behind them can be subjective. I wonder whether we will look back in the future and think that a lot of capital was burned in a scramble to do something that actually had limited environmental impact. There is scope for serious greenwashing.
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