Non-domestic Energy Performance Certificates for shops, offices, warehouses, restaurants and industrial units — assessed by accredited non-domestic energy assessors using the SBEM methodology and lodged on the national register.
The rules
Any non-domestic building put up for sale or let has needed an EPC since 2008 — the trigger is the transaction, not the building type. The certificate rates the building from A to G and comes with a recommendation report, and for landlords the rating now carries real commercial weight, because it decides whether the space can lawfully be let at all.
MEES for commercial property: premises must reach band E or better to be let, and since 1 April 2023 the rule has applied to continuing leases as well as new ones — a sitting tenant no longer shields a sub-standard rating. Penalties for non-compliance are substantial and the breach is publicly registered. Government has also proposed tighter future minimums for commercial lettings; the sensible response is to know your rating now and plan improvements against the recommendation report.
Because the assessment is desk-heavy as well as site-based, existing floor plans, drawings and details of the heating and cooling plant all shorten the job — and sharpen the quote.
Complexity levels
Non-domestic buildings are graded by complexity, and the grade determines the level of assessor and software the job needs. Matching the level correctly matters — an under-qualified assessment can't be lodged, and an over-specified one costs more than it should. We confirm the level when we quote, so the price you get is the price the building actually needs.
| Level | Typical buildings | Assessment approach |
|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | Simple, mostly naturally ventilated premises — small shops, offices, cafés | SBEM, by a level 3 non-domestic energy assessor |
| Level 4 | Buildings with more complex services, such as air conditioning or larger plant | SBEM, by a level 4 assessor |
| Level 5 | Complex designs — atria, extensive curtain walling, unusual geometry | Dynamic Simulation Modelling by a level 5 assessor |
Practicalities
Letting commercial premises? The EPC usually travels with a commercial EICR and, where there are gas appliances, a commercial gas safety certificate — we can arrange all three together. Selling a home instead? See our domestic EPC service.
Common questions
It depends on the floor area, the complexity of the building services and whether floor plans already exist — a small naturally ventilated shop is a very different job from an air-conditioned multi-storey office. Send the address, approximate floor area and a note of the heating and cooling systems via the quote form and we'll reply with a fixed quote, usually the same working day.
MEES now bites on existing arrangements, not just new ones: since 1 April 2023 it has been unlawful to continue letting commercial premises rated below band E unless a valid exemption is registered. If your certificate has expired or the building has never had one, an assessment should be arranged before the lease event, not after.
SBEM — the Simplified Building Energy Model — is the government's calculation methodology for non-domestic buildings. Instead of the SAP method used for homes, it models the building zone by zone: the activity in each area, the fabric, glazing, heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and hot water. The result is the A to G rating on the certificate.
Mixed-use buildings are usually split: the commercial unit gets a non-domestic EPC and a self-contained flat gets its own domestic EPC. We can carry out both in one visit so neither part of the building holds up a sale or letting.
Ten years, the same as a domestic certificate, unless the building is altered in a way that makes it unrepresentative. Bear in mind that an old certificate can be valid yet still leave you below band E for MEES purposes — validity and lettability are separate questions.
Tell us the property type and postcode — we'll come back with a fixed quote and the earliest available date.