Achieving net zero doesn’t require an ‘A’ Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating.
We must be cautious in assuming that achieving an EPC ‘A’ rating is a direct path to meeting the UK’s net zero carbon targets.
Landlords face uncertainty over costs, deadlines, and funding, with concerns about feasibility for older, albeit fit-for-purpose properties.
Clearer guidance, grants, and Government support are essential for achieving long-term sustainability and something that requires careful consideration.
But how far will this fixation on EPC ratings actually help everyone reach their net zero goals?
While EPC reforms aim to enhance performance, a rigid focus on ratings overlooks easy, more practical solutions.
Making strategic improvements tailored to each property, rather than just meeting arbitrary thresholds, can drive meaningful carbon reductions, while concrete actions help landlords adapt as the Government continues to put a lot of stock in improving EPC ratings.
And, while tenants are eager to see energy efficiency improvements, a notable gap remains between their demand and willingness to pay for a greener property.
The statistics on the number of homes on the Energy Performance of Buildings Register showed an increase of 2% in England and Wales in Q4 2024, from the same quarter in 2023.
According to the Government’s live table, England and Wales saw 1,666,137 lodgements, 514,762 of them having an EPC rating of D, which is the current minimum, and 736,409 meeting a ‘C’ standard, which proposed the new minimum.
Furthermore, EPC ratings are calculated using fixed values that don’t always reflect real-world energy efficiency, creating challenges for landlords, renters, and property managers.
Improvements like LED lighting or solar panels can significantly cut carbon emissions but may not boost an EPC rating beyond a ‘C.’
This disconnect means landlords aiming for compliance may assume they’re meeting sustainability goals, but a strong EPC rating doesn’t guarantee a carbon-neutral building.
Once again, this reflects how the vast majority of landlords – who are taking meaningful, worthwhile, and proactive steps to improve the lives of their tenants — are being held back by red tape and legislation that, when it comes to EPC ratings, seems somewhat performative.
The focus needs to shift from simply meeting regulations to genuinely reducing environmental impact.
EPCs are just one tool and landlords and property managers must take a more common sense approach to achieving net zero carbon.
We need property managers to take meaningful action to tackle the climate emergency, rather than just focusing on ticking the EPC ratings box.
At the same time, the industry must put its heads together to find smarter ways to use the flawed, yet valuable, system properly.
Real sustainability demands real action.
It’s time to break free from the over simplification that a shiny ‘A’ on an EPC audit equals meaningful change.
Let’s focus on real-world solutions that truly cut carbon. In the rush to achieve net zero, fixating on EPC ‘A’ ratings as the ultimate benchmark is unnecessary and counterproductive, distracting from the practical needs and comfort of tenants who may see minimal benefit from the changes implemented.
Dave Seed is managing director at Qube Residential
