EPCs and Heating System Choices

PaulCarey · Posts: 20 Location: Stalybridge, Nr Manchester

Interesting one for you all to tell me I'm a numpty no doubt.

I've got an existing building which requires an EPC for sale at auction. It is old and has had the heating system ripped out. It is not easy to tell what was there in the first place to be honest. It is a shop with a basement storage area.

What heating and hot water am I meant to assume here? Obviously I can't click no heating on every zone as SBEM wont allow that and that being the case I wouldn't need to do one in the first place.

What do I need to assume as the heating system? Do I revert to default for everything or do I use experience and assume that there is a high chance it will be electric heating by small wall heaters and instantaneous DHWS and even possibly a DX cassette or something similar?

Cheers
Paul

Andrew Bairstow · Site Admin Posts: 343 Location: Birmingham, UK

Paul
These are my thoughts on this issue:
The building would presumably come under Part L2B for fit-out. If it would seem probable that it was largely heated but not cooled then the default Heating only-Electric Resistance would seem appropriate to use in most zones. This would be compatable with Part L2B. For areas which might be locally cooled then you would need to define an HVAC system, probably local cooling system with heat source/fuel Direct or Storage Heater/Grid Electricity 100% efficiency and cooling efficiencies from Non-Dom Guide. if it is conceivable that heating and cooling was the dominant system then you'd need to create an HVAC system similarly governed by the requirements of Part L2B. I'd also add recommendations to inform what assumptions had been made.

PaulCarey · Posts: 20 Location: Stalybridge, Nr Manchester

Thanks for your reply. I think that's largely where I was coming from in my thoughts, but just needed someone elses opinion. I also checked out the CLG guide to EPCs for non-domestic buildings which says use the most energy intensive method likely to be used in the particular application. I think adding it to the notes or as recommendations is a good one I'll use in the future.
Thanks,
Paul

duncan.campbell@mecserve. · Posts: 4

I have a similar question going through DCLG at the moment which also relates to lighting.

For spec retail units, let as shell & core the lighting is critical. If you use the standard SBEM unknown lamp type, then the energy use is horrendous. If however you select a 'chosen' lamp type with an efficacy of 50 lumens/circuit-watt as per L2B then it is hugely more efficient.

I also have the issue that the tenants in a row of 4 retail uinits have fitted out a range of electric heating, mechanical ventilation and full a/c. The units are let totally as shell units so I have asked for some more definite guidance from DCLG.

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