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Government of Gibraltar |
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An EPC is required for a building whenever it is constructed, sold or let. For the purposes of the regulations, a building is defined as: “a roofed construction having walls, for which energy is used to condition the indoor climate, and a reference to a building includes a reference to a part of a building which has been designed or altered to be used separately”. (Building (Energy Performance) Regulations 2010)
For a building to fall within the requirement for an EPC it must: • have a roof and walls; and • use energy to condition the indoor climate. This is the case where the building has any of the following fixed services: heating, mechanical ventilation or air conditioning. Although the provision of hot water is a fixed building service, it does not “condition the indoor environment” and would not therefore be a trigger for an EPC. The same argument applies to electric lighting. Where a building is expected to have heating, mechanical ventilation or air conditioning installed, it will require an EPC based on the assumed fit out.
A building can either be: • the whole of a building; or • part of a building, where the part is designed or altered to be used separately.
A car park, for example, open at the sides with lighting, would not constitute a building for the purposes of requiring an EPC. |
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When do I need an epc? |
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Exemptions
The following buildings do not need an EPC when they are built, rented or sold: · places of worship · temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years · stand alone buildings with total useful floor area of less than 50 square metres that aren’t used to provide living accommodation for a single household · industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings that don't use a lot of energy |
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If you are thinking of buying, selling or renting a property you should check whether the building requires an EPC. By law, an EPC is required in the following cases: Buying a property All sellers of properties need to ensure that they provide an EPC, free of charge to potential buyers. Buying a newly built property Buyers of newly built properties should receive an EPC, free of charge. Renting a property If you are interested in renting a property, the landlord must make an EPC available to you free of charge. If you are not in one of the above categories Even if you don’t fall into the above categories, you can still apply for and receive an EPC from an energy assessor. This may be because you want to know how energy efficient your home is, and make improvements suggested by the recommendation report.
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What happens if you are not given an EPC?
If you are not given an EPC when you are entitled to it, you should contact the Department of the Environment:
E-mail: info.environment@gibraltar.gov.gi Tel: 20045769 |
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Predictive Energy Assessments - For Developers/Contractors
If you are looking to develop a new build, a conversion or the extension of premises you will need to submit a Predictive Energy Assessment at the same time as your planning/building application. This is simply the SBEM calculation for your building design in order to demonstrate that the proposed building will meet the minimum energy performance standards.
Forms for Compliance Checking with Building Rules: Part F
Approved Documents
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Frequently asked questions on the energy performance of buildings
What are the benefits to me as a landlord? The energy rating can help rent out your property. It indicates to a prospective buyer or tenant how energy efficient your home is. It should also provide information that may help to reduce the running cost of the property.
Who is responsible for obtaining an Energy Performance Certificate? For buildings that are to be sold, the building's owner will be responsible for ensuring a certificate is available; this should be shown, on request, to any prospective purchaser, and should in any case be provided by the owner to the ultimate purchaser before a contract for sale is made. For buildings that are to be rented, it is the landlord’s responsibility to provide the prospective tenant with a copy of the Energy Performance Certificate. Energy Performance Certificates will be valid for a period of 10 years.
How much will Energy Performance Certificates cost? The price of an energy performance certificate will be set by the market and not by Government. We expect these costs to vary according to the size, type, and complexity of the property or development.
Will Energy Performance Certificates be required for rented accommodation? Yes. The Rules requires that Energy Performance Certificates will need to be provided for all buildings when they are constructed, sold or rented.
Is an Energy Performance Certificate required for the private sale of a home between two individuals? Yes. The Rules requires that Energy Performance Certificates will need to be provided for all buildings when they are constructed, sold or rented out.
What happens if my building gets a low rating? This simply indicates your building could be more energy efficient. During the inspection a number of recommendations to improve the energy efficiency will be identified. Implementation of these could not only increase your rating and reduce carbon emissions but also save money on energy bills. It is up to you whether you implement the recommendations or not.
How do I find an energy assessor? The list of accredited energy assessors for Gibraltar can be found on this website (see Government Accredited Energy Assessors). |