BPF warns 84% of commercial properties fail to meet EPC targets
The British Property Federation has warned that 84% of commercial spaces with EPC ratings fall short of minimum energy efficiency targets and has urged the next government to help the sector address the issue.
In its latest manifesto, focusing on carbon, the BPF calculated that 84% of commercial spaces with EPC ratings are rated EPC C or below. This means more than 175,000 commercial spaces will need to be retrofitted every year between now and 2030 to raise the standard of all commercial buildings to EPC B by the end of the decade.
The BPF said the real estate sector has the second-largest carbon footprint in the UK, with buildings responsible for a quarter of all carbon emissions. Commercial and industrial properties account for around a third of all building emissions.
The British Property Federation has warned that 84% of commercial spaces with EPC ratings fall short of minimum energy efficiency targets and has urged the next government to help the sector address the issue.
In its latest manifesto, focusing on carbon, the BPF calculated that 84% of commercial spaces with EPC ratings are rated EPC C or below. This means more than 175,000 commercial spaces will need to be retrofitted every year between now and 2030 to raise the standard of all commercial buildings to EPC B by the end of the decade.
The BPF said the real estate sector has the second-largest carbon footprint in the UK, with buildings responsible for a quarter of all carbon emissions. Commercial and industrial properties account for around a third of all building emissions.
The organisation said there are around 30m buildings in the UK, many of which are poorly insulated and inefficient. More than 90% of homes are still heated by fossil fuels.
Its recommendations for the next government include a dedicated minister for net-zero buildings, wider use of whole-life carbon assessments and a “green super deduction” allowance to drive investment into retrofits.
It called for a “comprehensive sector roadmap” for real estate, across all tenures and asset classes, clarity on future minimum energy efficiency standards for the domestic and non-domestic private rented sectors, and reform for domestic EPCs.
Zero-rate VAT on repairs and maintenance of residential buildings, increased investment into the UK’s electricity grid, sufficient resources for local authorities and simplified processes for solar panel installation are among further recommendations.
The organisation has also published research into improving the sector’s ability to access energy consumption data.
The Closing the Data Deficit report has proposed a series of measures, including mandating the sharing of data between owners and occupiers, reforming the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 to ensure the inclusion of data sharing and provisions in lease renewals, and setting up a taskforce to drive action.
Melanie Leech, chief executive of the British Property Federation, said: “The UK will not meet its climate commitments unless we decarbonise our buildings, which are responsible for around 25% of all carbon emissions.
“However, progress has stalled in recent years and we need urgent and decisive action from government to deliver a net-zero-carbon property sector by 2050.
“Our BPF Carbon Manifesto puts the climate centre stage and we offer the next government our support in delivering on our shared net-zero ambitions.”
Leech added: “We need to significantly increase investment into retrofitting our existing homes and buildings.
“This will require policy certainty and stability, targeted financial incentives, a properly resourced and skilled planning system and more grid capacity and connectivity.”
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