The rating and score on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reflects how much energy it takes to power a home and keep it warm.
A home’s energy rating ranges from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Homes will also be given a score out of 100. The higher the number, the lower energy bills are likely to be
The types of things that can impact an EPC score include the heating system within the home, and how it’s controlled; if the windows are double or triple glazed; how well insulated the floors and walls are; and what sort of lighting has been installed.
So which features really boost a property’s energy-efficiency score?
We’ve taken a look at the energy-saving features installed in homes for sale with the top two EPC ratings of A and B.
Smart lighting
Lighting is one of the features that contributes towards a home’s EPC rating. Energy-efficient light bulbs, such as LEDs (light emitting diodes), last longer and generate less heat, so they reduce a household’s energy consumption.
And smart LED lighting can be automated. Instead of having wall switches, an entire home’s lighting system can be controlled from an app. This four-bedroom home in Corby, Northamptonshire, has an EPC rating of B. It has lots of features contributing to its energy-efficiency rating, including a smart lighting system and double glazed windows.
A home with an EPC ‘A’ rating
Your home’s energy-efficiency certificate will have two numbers for its energy-efficiency score: its current score – or what it scored at the time the certificate was ordered – and a ‘potential’ score of what it could achieve if the recommended improvements are carried out.
This home has reached its potential score of 97/97 (an ‘A’ rating) by using an air-source heat pump, solar panels and a heat recovery system.
Triple glazing
This oak-clad, end-of-terrace home has an EPC rating of B. And along with underfloor heating, solar panels and low water-consumption taps, it also has tripled-glazed windows. Typically, a home loses more heat through its windows than anywhere else, and many home-owners are now considering this sort of upgrade to make their home more energy efficient.
Read more about how triple glazing works, and its benefits and other things to consider, here.
Solar panels
This four-bedroom home in Littlethorpe, Leicester, has an EPC rating of A, and the solar panel system installed generates an income.
You can find out more about solar panels and their benefits here, as well as how much they cost and how solar panels work.
Good insulation
Good insulation isn’t just about keeping a home warm: it’ll help keep it at a comfortable temperature throughout the year. But it’s particularly beneficial during winter, as you’re less likely to have heat escape through poorly insulated walls or roofs, or have draughts.
This four-bedroom home in Glastonbury has an EPC rating of B, thanks to good insulation, solar panels and double glazing throughout. There’s also a full insulated garden studio ideal for working from home.
Air source heat pump
One of the low-carbon alternatives to gas boilers are heat pumps. Air source heat pumps are powered by electricity, and move heat from the outdoors into your home. This four-bed home in Lincolnshire has an air source heat pump that supplies the home’s underfloor heating system.
