From January 4th 2009 EPCs will be required for most non-domestic commercial buildings being sold, rented, having a lease assigned or constructed. Buildings being modified and resulting in the addition or removal of parts of the building, and also buildings having Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems installed or modified may also require an EPC.

On construction: The constructor gives the EPC and Recommendations Report to the Purchaser on physical completion of the building and notifies Building Control, who will not issue a Certificate of Completion until the EPC is provided.

For sale or rent: As soon as the building is offered for sale or rent the seller or landlord must make an EPC available to prospective buyers or tenants at the earliest opportunity, before entering a contract for sale or lease, and no later than the release of marketing material or the request for a visit to the property. The EPC may be for the whole building or individual units and completion of contract should not happen without it.

On modification: The contractor undertaking modification work is responsible for providing an EPC and Recommendations Report to the client. They must then notify Building Control who will not issue the Certificate of Completion until the EPC is provided.

A Commercial EPC is valid for 10 years and there is currently no requirement for a commercial EPC for existing tenancies. Responsibility for enforcement in newly built properties will fall to Building Control, whilst Trading Standards departments will enforce certification of existing buildings.

The calculation method of the EPC depends on the complexity of the building. Buildings with atria and certain forms of natural ventilation will require a level 5 assessor and use a Dynamic Simulation Method (DMS) for calculation of the EPC. Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) methodology can be used for buildings with centralised or partially centralised heating/cooling systems and will require a level 4 qualified commercial assessor to produce the EPC. New buildings will require a level 4 assessment. All other buildings, usually smaller type structures, can use SBEM methodology and be assessed by a level 3 qualified assessor.

Estate Surveys Ltd are CIBSE Low Carbon energy assessors and can produce EPCs for level 3 and 4 type buildings inhouse and advise on level 5 requirements.