Re:volve Real Estate, a surveyor company, has noted a troubling lack of consistency among Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessors, finding wide variances in the ratings of identical properties.
The company observes frequent problems with EPC assessments, which often require corrections.
They have urged for improved training for assessors, highlighting that some are certified after only a two-week course.
Andy Heath, a senior building surveyor at Re:volve Real Estate, mentions: “Our work as building surveyors, including our recommendations, are dependent upon the EPC ratings. What we’ve seen is that these ratings aren’t consistent, they can change depending on who’s doing the assessment and when it’s done.
“Our experience shows we have to reassess work by qualified professionals, which often should be rated in a higher band than initially assigned.
“The crux of the problem is assessors relying on unverified data or making assumptions, which undermines the integrity of the ratings.”
Heath continues: “Speaking for others in our field, the current accreditation doesn’t match what’s needed in the industry.
“We see the difference in quality between professional EPC assessors and those with basic qualifications from a two-week training program.
“With the standards for energy ratings changing, our clients face legal challenges in trying to keep up. To address this, we need better accreditation to ensure assessments are reliable and minimize errors and inconsistencies.”
The company cited the Gordon House project as an example where the reliability of assessments was an issue. The 30,000 square foot office space required a nuanced assessment because of its complex HVAC system, which should have been done by a Level 4 EPC Assessor, but was instead completed by a Level 3 Energy Assessor.
This led to an initial D rating, which was not reflective of the building’s true standard. After reassessment by an appropriate Level 4 assessor, the building’s rating was corrected to a B.
Heath explains: “It’s common for assessors to make educated guesses about various features of a building, which can lead to flawed assessments.
“Our approach focuses on correcting these inaccuracies using actual data, which results in more accurate EPC ratings.
“Better qualifications for assessors would surely enhance the quality of work in our sector and help them perform more competently and precisely.
“Higher standards applied across the board would ultimately elevate the entire industry’s performance, ensure greater compliance, and set a higher standard of excellence.”
