Forums

Forums
Sustainable Sidetra...
Solar Photovoltaic ...
This does not make ...
 
Notifications
Clear all

This does not make sense - documents needed for EPC score

 
Page 4 / 4
Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
Last Post by Derek M 2 years ago
38 Posts
9 Users
12 Reactions
5,877 Views
RSS
 AllyFish
(@allyfish)
Noble Member Contributor
Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 485
04/04/2023 8:01 am  

@ronin92 that's a good find, thank you. Having had a speed-read of the research paper, it seems the elephant in the room may be the simple affordability of heating houses assigned lower EPC gradings E, F & G. That could be a significant aspect of the predicted vs actual metered energy consumption. Chances are the thermostats are set lower in such buildings, more rooms are left unheated, and the occupants accept lower levels of thermal comfort as a price to pay for being able to manage the cost of very expensive gas and electric they consume. EPCs do not factor any of this into the SAP calculation method.

The EPC process is deeply flawed, and whole house permeability/leakage tests are not mandated in the survey method. That alone can be grossly under or overestimated, especially for properties more exposed to the elements. It is almost as significant a factor as the U values of the building fabric, especially for older 'draughtier' properties.

This matters, because domestic EPCs are a legal requirement for the sale, purchase and letting of property. Also more and more access to grant funded schemes including BUS is linked to EPC grading. The BRE domestic SAP process is deeply flawed for assessing dwellings with heat pumps: https://www.yorkshireenergysystems.co.uk/epcandheatpumps/

This post was modified 2 years ago by AllyFish

   
ReplyQuote
 Derek M
(@derek-m)
Illustrious Member Member
Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 4429
04/04/2023 1:54 pm  

@allyfish

Hi Everyone,

Rather than just discuss this problem on the forum, I would encourage you to write to your MP and ask what is being done to rectify this problem. Below is a copy of the message that I sent today.

Hi Andrew,

A number of forum members on the Renewable Heating Hub, of which I am a moderator, have highlighted the fact that recent EPC assessments have been lower than anticipated because they had installed an ASHP.

One of the members posted this report, which although quite dated, was highlighting this problem approximately 8 years ago.

https://www.yorkshireenergysystems.co.uk/epcandheatpumps

Could you please explain what, if anything, is being done to remedy this obvious problem, since the Government is trying to encourage homeowners to install energy efficient heating systems such as heat pumps. It would appear that the present EPC assessment methodology is seriously flawed, and needs urgent revision.

Another forum member installed an Air to Water heat pump himself, and found that the cost of all the materials and equipment, along with a sufficient allowance for labour costs, produce a figure that was approximately £5000 less than the quotes from a number of installers. I strongly suspect that the BUS grant of £5000 is not actually benefiting homeowner's, but is instead going into the pockets of the installers.

I can confirm the same, as approximately 2 years ago I installed an Air to Air ASHP at our home myself, which does not qualify for the BUS grant, but since the equipment and materials (excluding my labour) came to less than £1000, not getting a grant was of little consequence. My primary objective was to better utilise the excess electricity generation from our 4kW solar PV system, and in so doing reduce our overall gas consumption by something in the order of 50%. As I write this, our home is being heated completely by solar energy, which has been the case since approximately 8 am today, and will probably continue to do so until after midnight.

Even during Spring and Autumn there is a great deal of solar energy available, we human's just need to get much better at capturing and utilising it in the most efficient manner.

I look forward to your reply.

Regards,

Derek.


   
ReplyQuote
Page 4 / 4
Forum Jump:
  Previous Topic
Next Topic  
Topic Tags:  EPC (2) , heatpump (2) , electric heating (1) ,
Share:

Join Us!

Trusted Installers

Struggling to find a reliable heat pump installer? A poor installation can lead to inefficiencies and high running costs. We now connect homeowners with top-rated installers who deliver quality work and excellent service.

✅ Verified, trusted & experienced installers
✅ Nationwide coverage expanding
✅ Special offers available

👉 Find your installer now!

Latest Posts

x Powerful Protection for WordPress, from Shield Security
This Site Is Protected By
Shield Security →