Reforming Energy Performance Certificate

What the Government Response Means for the Built Environment

The UK government has published a partial response to its consultation on Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) regime – a key step in updating how buildings’ energy performance is measured and understood across England and Wales. This response focuses on what Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) will measure and when they will be required, with further detail on data, quality control and related areas expected in 2026.

Why This Matters

The EPB regime underpins how energy performance is assessed for buildings, informing decisions by homeowners, landlords, buyers, tenants, lenders and the retrofit sector. As part of wider net-zero and energy efficiency policy, updating EPCs aims to provide clearer, more actionable information on building performance, better reflect retrofit outcomes, and support compliance with emerging regulatory frameworks such as Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and the government’s Warm Homes Plan.

What’s Changing in EPCs

The partial response confirms a shift from the current single headline metric to a set of multiple performance metrics for domestic EPCs:

• Domestic EPCs will feature four headline metrics – energy cost, fabric performance, heating system and smart readiness – giving a broader view of a building’s energy profile.
• A secondary carbon metric will also be retained to show modelled emissions.
• For non-domestic buildings, the single carbon-based Environmental Impact Rating (EIR) will remain the headline metric.
• Legacy metrics will be retained during transition to help with comparison and ongoing compliance.

These changes are designed to provide richer, more meaningful information that consumers and industry can use to better understand energy performance and make informed decisions about improvements and investments.

When EPCs Will Be Required

The government sought views on when EPCs should be required, including potential reductions in validity periods or requiring a certificate at various trigger points (e.g., tenancy start, sale).
The outcome is that the current 10 EPC validity period will be retained, addressing concerns about administrative burden and cost. Quidos are extremely disappointed in this outcome especially as Scotland will be reducing to 5 year validity periods and will continue to lobby for change here.

While views were mixed on requiring a new EPC at the start of each tenancy, the partial response does not introduce this requirement at this stage.

The government intends to update regulations to clarify and expand where EPCs are required, including:

• Whole Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) — even if only a single room is let.

• Short-term rental properties (e.g., holiday lets), requiring a valid EPC regardless of who pays the energy bills.

Removing exemptions for certain building types (including heritage/listed), providing clearer coverage of the regime.

Transition and Next Steps

The government intends to publish a further response in 2026 covering remaining consultation areas – including Display Energy Certificates (DECs), EPC data, quality management and additional reporting requirements — ahead of regulations making new-style EPCs mandatory. Subject to parliamentary approvals, changes to the regime are planned to align with the introduction of new-style EPCs from late 2026, built around the Home Energy Model.
Throughout this transition, guidance and stakeholder engagement will be developed to help industry and consumers understand and adopt the new metrics and requirements.

Implications for the Sector

These reforms aim to make EPCs more informative, flexible and aligned with modern policy objectives, benefiting:

• Homeowners and tenants — clearer information on energy performance and retrofit options.
• Landlords and investors — data to support investment decisions and regulatory compliance.
• Retrofit and assessment supply chains — demand for higher-quality assessments and advisory services.
• Finance and lending markets — improved data can support products tied to energy performance outcomes.

Read the full document here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/reforms-to-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-regime/outcome/reforms-to-the-energy-performance-of-buildings-regime-partial-government-response