Hundreds of buildings in South Africa need an EPC inspection and certification before the 7th of December or face fines or worse.
An EPC is a certificate that assesses the energy efficiency of a building. The certificate is issued by an accredited body that must issue the EPC under SANS 1544:2014, and the rating ranges from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). Buildings with an EPC rating of C or above are considered to be energy efficient.
In order to obtain an EPC, a building must undergo an inspection by an accredited assessor. The assessor will look at factors such as insulation, heating and lighting systems, and the type of windows and doors. Once the inspection is complete, the assessor will issue a report which includes the EPC rating.
The EPC is valid for 5 years, after which time the building will need to be re-inspected.
Displaying the EPC is mandatory for all buildings in South Africa, and failure to do so can result in a fine of up to R5 million fine, five years in prison, or both. The EPC must be displayed in a prominent place, such as the entrance to the building.
The EPC requirement applies to offices, entertainment facilities, educational institution buildings, and places of public assembly such as indoor sporting facilities and community centers larger than 2000 square meters (if privately owned) or 1000 square meters (if owned by an organ of state). This amounts to between 100,000 and 250 000 buildings requiring EPC assessment by the 7 December 2022 deadline.
Why EPC is an important driver of Net Zero
Building and construction are responsible for 39% of all carbon emissions in the world, with operational emissions accounting for 28%. The World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has a bold new vision for how buildings and infrastructure around the world can reach 40% less embodied carbon emissions by 2030, and achieve 100% net zero emissions buildings by 2050.
The EPC Rating gives the owners of the building insight into how energy efficient their buildings are. The rating also provides them with a starting point for implementing more eco-conscious maintenance and adds value to the resale of the building, with the eco rating high on prospective buyers' wishlists.
Inspexion and Net Zero
Inspexion.com have always felt strongly about circular economy and we are chasing our own Net Zero Objectives. We understand the need for environmental audits and building inspections, in helping to achieve better energy efficiency. We also appreciate that holistically the drive to Net Zero must be led by regulations and these regulations have to be implemented and welcome this added economy into the inspections marketplace.
Our platform is built for the need to compare inspection quotes quickly, and with this "inspecting crisis - hundreds of buildings needing inspections in less than 37 working days" it has become clear that there is a need for overall inspection service efficiency. Time-wasting on multiple quotes from multiple companies, waiting days for quotes, looking for the right accreditation - We have streamlined all that. Sign on - Post a Single Request for inspection - Receive and Compare multiple quotes from Qualified Inspectors.