Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1479881
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 SEPTEMBER 2022 12 COMMERCIAL Improving building performance is key to tackling the challenges of climate change IMPROVING building perfor- mance is key to tackling the challenges of climate change, considering that buildings account for 40% of the global energy consumption. The ur- gent need for energy efficien- cy improvement of buildings calls for the implementation of suitable policy instruments, including performance assess- ments. In fact, last week the Gov- ernment of Malta carried out changes to the Energy Perfor- mance of Buildings Regula- tions, primarily amendments to the calculation of energy performance in buildings and to systems of independent control of Energy Performance Certificates and Inspection Reports. The former will lead to a total change in the cur- rent EPC (Energy Performance Certificates) system whereby a new EPC software will be re- quired, and examiners will be trained accordingly. The lat- ter will lead to the vetting of assessors of EPC resulting in better quality of EPC's. What are Energy Performance Certificates (EPC's) An EPC is a simple measure of a building's energy efficien- cy using standard calculation methodology and assump- tions about energy usage. This means that the energy effi- ciency of one building can eas- ily be compared with anoth- er building of the same type. This allows prospective buy- ers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers to see infor- mation on the energy efficien- cy and carbon emissions from their building so that they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment. An EPC must be provided whenever a property is constructed, rented or sold. An accredited assessor must prepare the EPC and for it to be valid it must be lodged on a public register. Once lodged, a certificate is valid for ten years, unless certain works or alterations are undertaken that require re-certification of the property. The EPC looks broadly similar to the ener- gy labels now provided with household appliances. For dwellings it is shown in kwh/ m².yr, where 0 is very efficient and 280 is the least efficient. For non-dwellings, the certif- icate will provide an energy rating of a building from A to G, where A is very efficient and G is least efficient. An EPC includes a recommenda- tion report that lists cost-ef- fective and other measures to improve the building's energy rating. At present, the Building and Construction Authority in the Ministry for Public Works and Planning provides on its web- site a list of over 500 building performance assessors and in- formation on how to go about getting your building certified for energy efficiency. Anyone who commissions the design of a new building should be obliged to obtain a design rat- ing EPC after the Planning Au- thority's approval. When a building or building unit is offered for sale or for rent, the energy performance indicator of the EPC should be included in advertisements in commercial media. Conse- quently, banks make sure that in all sanction letters sent to anyone taking out a loan to buy property, one condition is that an EPC must be acquired. Given that the majority of buildings around today will ex- ist in 2050, improving our ex- isting built stock is of critical importance. Hence, providing energy efficient properties is becoming a market imperative with emerging evidence that owners, investors and occupi- ers are becoming increasing- ly aware of the sustainability profile of their properties and recognising that it can be a differentiator.