Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) show how energy efficient a property is, what upgrades can improve energy efficiency, and the property’s impact on the climate.
They are an important tool for understanding Scotland’s housing stock and supporting households to make informed decisions about their homes.
However, EPCs do not inform householders about the actual energy consumption and real-life performance of properties. As a result, some find EPCs unreliable and unhelpful.
ClimateXChange commissioned Changeworks to explore the suggestion of using energy data from previous and current occupants to improve the usefulness and accuracy of EPCs. The Scottish Government then used our research to inform their Energy Performance Certificate reform consultation. Our report outlines opportunities and barriers, the practicalities of obtaining and using energy consumption data from meters, and the value of including this data.
Research methods
- A desk-based literature review of grey literature, published research, academic papers
- Interviews with fourteen industry stakeholders from Scotland, other parts of the UK and Sweden
- Qualitative analysis with inductive coding using Nvivo
Read the full report below
Key findings
There are two ways that EPCs could use metered energy consumption data to benefit (potential) occupants:
- to provide more accurate information on building fabric performance (asset rating)
- to give a rating of energy use in a building when compared with similar buildings (operational rating)
Since asset rating and operational rating are not mutually exclusive, EPCs could include both. This could be developed as a dynamic, digital EPC. However, immediate implementation is not possible as 57% of homes in Scotland do not yet have smart meters. Smart meters are the most reliable means of collecting metered energy consumption data.
Based on our findings, the Scottish Government decided not to introduce ratings or information based on the metered energy use of a building. They will continue to monitor developments in this space and consider the potential advisory role of information based on metered energy use. Any change to existing methodologies to incorporate meter data would be significant, and would likely need to be undertaken at a UK level.