Note: This is a general guide for UK commercial property owners and professionals. Non-domestic EPC regulations, registers and processes differ across England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Always check the current position on GOV.UK and the relevant national register before acting on any specific matter.
What the certificate actually shows
A commercial (non-domestic) Energy Performance Certificate rates a building's asset performance on an A–G scale using a Standard Assessment calculation. The rating reflects the building fabric and fixed services — heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and hot water — modelled against a notional building of the same size and use, not the actual energy bills of the current occupier.
Alongside the rating, the certificate carries a numeric Standard Emissions Rating, the total useful floor area, the assessment level used and a recommendation report listing measures that could improve performance.
How it differs from a domestic EPC
Domestic EPCs use RdSAP and take under an hour to model. Non-domestic assessments use iSBEM or approved Dynamic Simulation Modelling software, and the building has to be zoned by activity, construction and servicing strategy. A single retail unit may be three or four zones; a mixed-use office block can be several hundred.
That modelling effort is why commercial EPC work is quoted per building rather than priced from a table — floor area, complexity and available drawings all change the time involved.
Who needs one
Owners and landlords are responsible for providing a valid EPC when a building is sold or let, and for new construction on completion. Agents must ensure the rating appears in commercial marketing material.
Next steps
If you'd like specific advice about a property or portfolio, request a quote and our in-house assessors will come back to you.