We recently carried out a survey on 3 industrial units at an estate in Hainault, just outside Ilford. The company occupying the building manufactured industrial equipment, with the 3 units totalling over 10,000 square feet of space.
How well do industrial units score on an EPC?
It is important to note that the EPC does not consider the energy used in the industrial process – so even though the main energy use in the space may be the manufacturing process that is going on there, this is not considered, as the EPC relates specifically to the efficiency of the building.
Of course, the rating of the building will depend on a number of factors, but there are a few key considerations.
- Heating – If the area is unheated, then the rating is likely to be higher. This is because large often draughty industrial units cost a lot to heat. If there are heaters fitted that are suitable to heat the whole space, then these are used for the EPC. Unheated spaces have no energy use, even though they may be poorly insulated.
- Insulation – For large industrial units, the roof is going to be a key area if you have a heated space. If the roof has insulation, then the rating is going to be considerably better than not.
- Lighting – Lighting a very large space like this means a lot of lighting is needed. If this is old and inefficient, then the rating is likely to be correspondingly lower.
Although these units had some gas fired forced air heaters and uninsulated rooves, they did benefit from installing LED lighting and solar PV. Solar PV is a great option for an industrial unit that has a high electricity cost. Unlike domestic buildings, the main time that electricity is being used is during the day, when the sun is going to give you the most energy. There is also lots of roof space available here to work with, meaning a large array free from obstruction and over-shading is possible.
What rating did these units get?
The units received E ratings. This meant that they met the minimum energy efficiency standards and no further action was required on the part of the occupier in order to get their remortgage. The client had hoped for a slightly better rating, given the PV system, but without the panels the rating would have been much lower.
If you have a unit that needs an EPC, please give us a call and we will be happy to talk you through what the requirements are and book you in for a survey.