Commercial EPCs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – from small shops to huge warehouses and everything in between. In this blog, we are going to take a look at how office EPCs differ from the norm, and some for the things you need to bear in mind.

Multiple occupancy and office EPCs

Offices, more than any other type of commercial property, tend to have multiple tenants in a building. You could have 10 different companies operating over 10 floors, for example. When organising your EPC, it is really important to decide what parts of the building need the EPC – do all the floors need to be included, or can you just do the EPC on the floor being sold/let? This is something you can discuss with our team over the phone, as it really depends on the purpose of the EPC and the way the building is laid out.

Access is key for an office EPC

The other issue with multiple occupancy properties like this is the question of access. There have been a few times where we visit an office building at the request of the landlord, only to find that some of the companies have not been informed and cannot provide access to their floor/area. This may mean that the EPC cannot be completed, so ensure that all parts of the property are accessible for the assessor.

This goes for things like the boiler room and air handling units as well. The boiler room may not be accessible for the tenant, so alternative access may be required. The air handling units are often located on the roof, so make sure that the roof is accessible if this is the case.

What rating should you expect with an office EPC?

Offices use a lot of heating and cooling, as well as lighting on a day to day basis. They have a high occupancy, which means they use a lot of space heating and cooling to get the occupants comfortable. If you have efficient lighting, a modern heating and conditioning system, and some insulation present, then you can expect a good rating on the EPC. Usually the easiest way to improve the rating is to add LED lighting in the property, as lighting is used very often in an office environment and the software accounts for this.

How much do office EPCs cost?

This will vary by the size of the office. The best way to get a quote and a great price is to send any plans you have for the building to us – we can then get a very clear idea of what will be involved in the EPC. Prices start at £120 for a small office floor, with some larger office blocks costing several hundred pounds.