The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has announced a new project alongside BEIS to “modernise home energy rating scheme in time for Future Homes Standard”.

As part of a 3-year undertaking, BRE will develop a new version of the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), the Government’s system for assessing and comparing the energy rating of homes – the system underpins Energy Performance Certificates, often referred to as just ‘EPCs’.

“(SAP 11 will be) more suited to technologies designed to decarbonise homes, such as heat pumps, renewables and smart technologies.”

The Building Research Establishment

Energy Performance Certificates are used to establish compliance with the energy conservation requirements of Building Regulations in the UK.

BRE adds that as part of SAP 11, they will “drive a ‘root and branch’ review of the existing methodology to create a new version that is better suited to modern and dynamic technologies which will help decarbonise the UK’s housing stock, such as heat pumps, renewables, storage technologies and smart control devices”.

EPC ratings are becoming a higher priority for buyers, with 71% of people surveyed saying a home’s energy performance certificate (EPC) rating now played an important role in their considerations over whether to buy a property.