- Mandatory display of Energy Performance Certificate (“EPC”) for buildings
In terms of Notice 700 of 2020 issued by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (“DMRE”) in December 2020, certain categories of buildings must display an EPC at the entrance of the building by no later than 7 December 2022. The buildings that must comply with this regulation include all privately owned offices, shopping centers, schools, universities, indoor sporting facilities that are larger than 2,000 m2. This also applies to all state-owned or occupied buildings that are larger than 1,000 m2.
The EPC is valid for 5 years from date of issue.
An amendment to the notice was, however, published on 25 November 2022 extending the deadline by 3 years.
It is estimated that there are at least 150,000 buildings in South Africa that must comply with this regulation. The sanction of the responsible party for non-compliance with the National Energy Act, 1998, is a maximum fine of R5,000,000 or 5 years in prison.
- Services
Green Power can provide any one or all of the services detailed below:
- Data collection
We can provide a list of data that will be required for the purposes of evaluating the energy performance of the building. Green Power can also assist in the data collection process. This may require the installation of additional equipment (power meters, loggers, etc.).
- Data analysis & validity
Once the data set is collected, Green Power can review the data and evaluate it from the perspective of completeness and validity to ensure that all required data is then available for the energy performance evaluation process. This will include evaluating excluded areas as well as making the necessary vacancy and occupancy adjustments that will be required for the energy evaluation purpose.
- Energy saving opportunities
Green Power can identify and evaluate energy management opportunities in order to reduce the carbon-foot print of the building and thereby improve its energy performance rating.
- Provisional grading
Once we have evaluated the data collected for the purposes of securing an EPC, Green Power can provide a provisional EPC rating for the building that will allow the building owner/accounting officer to decide whether or not certain of the energy optimization projects should be accelerated in order to improve the rating of the building.
- Engagement with Accredited Inspection Body
Currently there is a very limited number of SANAS accredited Inspection Bodies. Green Power works with a number of these and so we are well placed to provide the information collected in an appropriate format to the Inspection Body for review and approval of the provisional rating.