Firms given EPC warning - commercial mortgages

02 October 2007

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), introduced to the residential property market in August, could have a significant impact on the commercial sector when they come into force next year, it has been suggested.

EPCs will be required for commercial office properties of more than 5,400 feet from April 6th, but DTZ has said that confusion over implementation could mean that there is a backlog in terms of processing the certificates.

The property firm has advised that assessor training courses and accreditation schemes necessary for the EPC rollout have not yet been finalised despite the launch date now being just six months away.

"This legislation is a key part of the government''s strategy to tackle carbon emissions from the built environment but its introduction should have been better thought through," commented DTZ director Charles Woollam.

Earlier this year the government announced plans to implement legally binding carbon emissions limits in a further bid to combat climate change.