EPC
EPC is an acronym that can generally be used to refer to two different but related terms used in construction. The first and most common being Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) and the other being Energy performance contract (EPC). See also Are Energy Performance Certificates accurate?, The EPC consultation in the context of changes to the NCM, Updating MEES for privately rented homes in England and Wales by 2030 and the Home Energy Model, Updating MEES for privately rented homes in England and Wales by 2030 and the Future Homes Standard assessment wrapper.
[edit] Energy Performance Certificates
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), set out the energy efficiency rating of buildings from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and are valid for 10 years. They are required when buildings are built, sold or rented, if they have a roof and walls and use energy to condition an indoor climate. If a building contains separate units (for example a block of flats), each unit needs an EPC, but they are not required for shared bedsit type accommodation. An EPC contains information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs and recommendations about how to reduce energy use and save money.
[edit] Energy Performance Contracts
Energy Performance Contracts are also referred to as EPC’s but are contracts for the implementation of energy saving and renewable energy measures by a contractor, sometimes referred to as an Energy Service Company (ESCo) or EPC provider. They first emerged in the US in the 1970s and 1980s. They can be appropriate for domestic and commercial properties, but are most often associated with public-sector clients.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Accredited energy assessor.
- Are Energy Performance Certificates accurate?
- Building performance.
- Building performance metrics.
- Certificates in the construction industry.
- Display energy certificate.
- Emission rates.
- Energy certificates for buildings.
- Home information pack HIP.
- How are EPCs produced?
- Minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES).
- National Calculation Method.
- Passivhaus vs SAP.
- Performance contracting.
- Performance gap.
- Simplified Building Energy Model.
- The EPC consultation in the context of changes to the NCM.
- The Home Energy Model and Future Homes Standard assessment wrapper.
- The sustainability of construction works.
- Updating MEES for privately rented homes in England and Wales by 2030.
Featured articles and news
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.





















