Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)
To obtain the RHI payment you need the completed MCS form from the installer of your heating system and an up to date EPC. The EPC rating has some influence on the size of your RHI payment. But it does not truly reflect the actual efficiency in use which is what really counts.
My experience with a ground up restoration of a Cotswold Cottage was that the EPC rating system (a tick box exercise on a laptop by the inspector) is weighted against old buildings. We had a mix of refurb and new build. The exisiting walls were stone and two feet thick. We insulated these internally with Cellotex, behind plasterboard. The new build was clearly cavity wall with insulation. The rest of the work involved the ASHP, underfloor heating, double glazing and LED lighting. The resulting EPC rating was only D+. We missed a C rating for not also having solar PV. The 20 year payback period on the Solar PV was just too long to justify. The PV panels would wear out and be technologically obsolete long before then.
My house is far more energy efficient than those on a new housing estate nearby . They are still being connected to the gas grid and have a better EPC than mine. Sour grapes!
Grant Aerona HPID10 10kWh ASHP
The EPC system is a bit of a farce.Â
Â
I'm aware of people who issue some EPC's without even visiting the property 🤣Â
Â
There is a massaging of numbers that goes on to make reports look better/worse depending on what you need for RHI or other things and many aspects of insulation/build are "assumed" on reports as being there without actually confirming this is the case.
Â
For me the most important aspect of a properties efficiency is air tightness - something that we rarely test in the UK. The air tightness test exposes bad construction. If all new homes/extensions had to pass an air tightness test you would soon see a large improvement in efficiency and reduced energy consumption.Â
Mitsubishi Ecodan 14kw ASHP + 500l Cylinder
Hi Mike and George
on the solar PV, fitting the most number of panels you can and getting a battery gives a payback of about 10 years. Solar PV panels last 25 years plus (guaranteed to be 80% efficient after that time. The panels don’t fail. But connectors can need replacement (high DC current). Inverters have to be replaced (although the solar edge ones are guaranteed 25 years too)
EPC does seem to be a bit of a game. My 20 year old bungalow was assessed as B. We had doubled loft insulation to 300mm. Triple glazed. Plugged drafts. New oil boiler. 4kW solar PV. It is just a continuous improvement of building fabric.Â
After the ASHP, I think a new front and back door will be next.Â
Daikin Altherma 3H HT 12kWh ASHP with Mixergy h/w cylinder; 4kW solar PV with Solic 200 electric diverter; Honda e and new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N electric vehicles with Myenergi Zappi mk1 charger
Just has the EPC done to qualify for the RHI - Rating A, Score 93. W/m2 heating 34
This means we qualify for the RHI and also we will get the full RHI
Sounds good. You will be fine; we're a 60 D, 21073/2644 kWh for heating/HW and our ASHP seems to work well.Â
How did you work out W/m2 from the EPC?
@kev-mit was on the EPC. Maybe its the new format?
I just came across this:
https://www.yorkshireenergysystems.co.uk/epcandheatpumps/
It claims that an ASHP makes an EPC rating worse than if the same property were heated with gas, because of the way the algorithm is set.
Is this true? Bonkers if so.
Â
Mike
Grant Aerona HPID10 10kWh ASHP
Yes, I was told the same. The heat pump improves your energy efficiency but does not show in your energy costs. Apparently, the EPC calculation does not take HP efficiency into account when making the energy calculation. Someone with better knowledge might explain it better.
@mike-patrick, it’s true and it’s crazy. We found this out earlier this year in an interview and the various heat pump bodies are trying to get the SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure) amended. Apparently, and I don’t know how it works exactly, but you get docked something like 50 points when switching to a heat pump from a fossil fuel boiler and making those points up is virtually impossible so you drop down the EPC bands. Another head scratching system and policy flaw.
Buy a copy of the The Ultimate Guide to Heat Pumps
Subscribe and follow our Homeowners’ Q&A heat pump podcast
An article on heat pumps and EPCs. It explains the problem with some examples. It's a couple of years old but I don't think anything has changed.
https://www.yorkshireenergysystems.co.uk/epcandheatpumps/
They do need a complete rethink. My flat in london I sold 18mnths ago. Was electric only and terrible running costs (elvaco 1970's direct electric), all flats were an E. In the 12 months befre I moved out, I was hardly there (for personal reasosn) so energy bills were only 15 quid a mo.
The EPC assesor gave it a 'C'. The only C in the entire block. No Way is it a C. I just wasn't there or using heating which must have affected his reasoning.Â
Also of concern, the assesor was in the property 10s max. He looked at one heater, in one room then was off. Offered to show him round but he said he didnt need to see anything else apparently. Make of that what you will.
- 26 Forums
- 2,205 Topics
- 48.6 K Posts
- 51 Online
- 5,864 Members
Join Us!
Podcast Picks
Latest Posts
-
RE: RDSAP10 effect on existing heat pump EPC rating?
Tim, Yes ChatGPT thought I could get another...
By Mike Patrick , 2 minutes ago
-
Indeed, all the more so as it is a clear example of rob...
By cathodeRay , 1 hour ago
-
RE: Samsung Heat pump with Yonos Pico circulating pump
@lch07, good luck and please give us an update when the...
By Mars , 1 hour ago
-
RE: Enabling WiFi: Samsung ASHP on Smart Things App
No problem, @richdorm; glad it helps.
By Majordennisbloodnok , 2 hours ago
-
RE: Help me keep the faith with my air source heat pump installation
If that makes you feel happier then go ahead, but it wo...
By JamesPa , 2 hours ago
-
RE: Testing new controls/monitoring for Midea Clone ASHP
I do already have the same basic setup, all room influe...
By cathodeRay , 3 hours ago
-
RE: IVT Greenline high pressure switch and electrical cassette errors
OK. You dont say whether it is from the feeds to/from ...
By JamesPa , 3 hours ago
-
The Hidden Secret to a Successful Heat Pump: Pipe Size Matters
When you’re planning a heat pump installation, most of ...
By Mars , 15 hours ago
-
RE: How can I programme a setback for my Samsung Gen6 8kW heat pump?
Yes, and probably also Adia although the latter has a m...
By JamesPa , 17 hours ago
-
@editor I am all in favour of provocati...
By GrahamF , 22 hours ago
-
@editor lol. I wish. They told me to switch everything ...
By bontwoody , 22 hours ago
-
RE: How to Understand Wiring Up a Heat Pump
Morning, On top of what everyone else I would deffo loo...
By Grantmethestrength , 1 day ago
-
RE: Sizing a heat pump: Save me from my headache
Got the results back from the one we’re ...
By Mikeatthezoo , 2 days ago
-
RE: Renewables & Heat Pumps in the News
Thanks Lucia. I'll set aside some time to go through th...
By Transparent , 3 days ago
-
RE: Do I just go with the lowest quote for my heat pump?
Seems to be settling better now I'll leave it alone
By Jancold , 3 days ago
-
RE: Bosch CS5800i 5kW - Experience So Far
We do like the exhaust air heat pump as a centralised M...
By Steelbadger , 4 days ago
-
RE: Solar Thermal DHW and ASHP
@kenbone how is your battery holding up Ken? Still goin...
By Mars , 4 days ago