I Failed my EPC!!!!

[Recyclist]

A neighbour who wants to be an Energy Assessor has just EPC'd my house as part of his training.

I got an F...

This is not just sour grapes because I failed, but the whole thing appears to be an exercise in futility. Nothing is learned and no useful advice is given. The software is rubbish - it can't cope with my wall construction, floor construction, or central heating system.

Apart from the natural desire of politicians to heap cost and legislation on us, does anyone believe their is any point to EPCs?

T

[Tim S]

Recyclist coughed up some electrons that declared:

[Owain]

The training of energy performance assessors allows people who can't pass Brushing and Combing Own Hair to leave college with a certificate.

Owain

[Billy Gamble]

At some time in the future people with less 'energy-efficient' houses will have to pay more council tax.

BG

[Recyclist]

I have heard that rumour! It will be very interesting to see what happens if they try to tax those in less "energy-efficient" houses, when they are in fact in quite energy-efficient houses like mine.

They would have to get the software up to a standard that will stand up to scrutiny in court - and that will never happen!

T

[Andy Dingley]

Is it true (I know that there are people around here who would know) that straw bale construction instantly warrants an F or G rating, because although it's actually quite well insulated it's not an option for the type of construction and so falls through to the worst possible assumption. Certainly the little EPC software I've seen in action not only assumed that the user was probably an innumerate idiot, but refused to work in any way smarter than a multi-choice idiotic way, even when they did have an understanding of U, R & K.

Our own place is 120 years old, so obviously scores (and deserves) a Z. I just wonder why we had to pay so much money for someone to have a laptop tell us this self-evident fact. Was it so that we could also have the recomendation to install low-energy lights and a windmill, with no advice at all as to the relative capital costs or likely benefits of each.

[Recyclist]

Apparently I need a wind turbine and some solar panels....

T

[Derek Geldard]

Our experience with energy ratings for cars is not encouraging.

Cars which we know have to be energy efficient (Like SWMBO's 970cc Corsa) come out of the assessment comparable with cars with much bigger engines and heavier fuel consumption. the reason has to be that the tests have been re-jigged to produce the answer they desire. Once the government sees the potential for bringing money in then policies along the lines of VED / fuel consumption in cars (use 30% more fuel - get charged Ca. four times the VED) are likely.

A council tax super tax on four bedroom houses ?

-Oh, Wait a minute, we already have that.

A tax on windows then and this doesn't mean W7, Bill Gates is Gordon's mate.

Derek

[Tim S]

Andy Dingley coughed up some electrons that declared:

Surely it's not hard for the software to allow user defineable wall types - with specified U-values?

Oh - yes that explains it - can't expect much from a "new career" failed hairdresser...

Because, once the powers that be have attached their sticky fingers onto a random mantra, they don't (or are incapable) of considering the "bigger picture" or "thinking outside the box", which is odd as that's all some of them ever seem to prattle on about. Most of our politicians actually love their little box and would have a heart attack if you removed them from it and threw them into reality.

Tim

[Tim S]

Recyclist coughed up some electrons that declared:

Which the software will not take into account the CO2 cost of production of.

That's better, just. Assuming it's for water heating. Would the software treat photo voltaic cells as equivalent? Because I'm fairly sure their not overall.

Given the crapness of the system, what would happen if you stuck up a box with a propeller on it taht didn't actually do anything?

[Clive George]

Example?

[Andy Cap]

Which equates to those on benefits being paid more, because anyone paying their own bills, already has the incentive to look for economies.

[Derek Geldard]

CBA !

BUT there can't be many cars with engines that are not bigger than

973cc.

And

it as delivering over 60 mpg and yet it is placed in band "E".

One wonders what the fuel consumption (MPG) of a vehicle placed in band "B" would have to be.

Derek

[Jules]

Hmm, is it possible to get such a bad rating that the software recommands a nuclear power plant? ;-)

[Adrian]

Derek Geldard gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

135g/km was pretty bloody good for a petrol car back in 2001 - if you do a search on there for petrol cars below that figure, there's only the Smart and a handful of Japanese sub-superminis, basically slightly more powerful Kei-cars. The Corsa is about the lowest "proper" petrol car for the era.

Life's moved on a long way since then. An Audi A3 TFSI can match those figures now. And that's before going near diesels.

[Clive George]

Actually, it shows it delivering 50.4 mpg. It's the combined figure which is pertinent. And 50mpg isn't that special for a little car these days.

So in answer to your complaint, your corsa isn't coming out as comparable to cars with heavier fuel consumption, it's coming out as comparable to cars with the same fuel consumption. They may have larger engines, but they're more efficient.

Combined 61.8 mpg petrol.

To get band C, which is the same VED, you need 56.7 mpg combined petrol.

(g/km CO2 is directly related to mpg for a given fuel type, so the sums are easy).

[Adrian]

"Clive George" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

No, it isn't.

There's a correlation, sure, but it's not that straightforward.

[mark]

Apparently I need a wind turbine and some solar panels....

T

I wonder if wind turbines could be made with solar panels as the blades.

mark

[Clive George]

Ok, what's the difference?

[AA]

So did this guy ;-)

do with a scan of an EPC to save actually paying someone to do one...

Adam