Workshop: Designing the Perfect EPC – What works for you?

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are a central part of energy efficiency legislation in buildings throughout Europe. Due to their extensive usage, they must inform a broad range of different user groups.

Currently, EPCs are being reviewed and revised to support more challenging carbon targets across European countries – hence the concept of “next-generation” EPCs that may use new metrics and indicators to support various areas of decision-making. 

The EU Horizon-funded crossCert project is attempting to test and critique many of these new approaches against the needs of different user groups. As part of this research, the team carried out a focus-group style event to engage with those that need EPCs to make decisions on low-carbon buildings. The event asked participants, in small groups, to indicate what type of EPC (and related information) would be most useful for them, understand whether current EPCs are meeting user requirements, and use this to guide design of future EPCs.

The online event also included an overview of crossCert and the latest research being undertaken to create next-generation EPCs that create maximum impact for the user. The event was of interest to anyone, across Europe, currently relying on EPCs to make informed decisions or are part of the EPC process itself. This includes: EPC assessors, those forming policy that use EPCs, building managers, large property owners, engineers, and designers/architects.