UK PACT-funded project to support 250 buildings and five SMMEs in the race to meet EPC deadline

In an effort to accelerate the uptake of energy performance certificates (EPCs) in South Africa, the Green Building Council South Africa (GBCSA) and the Carbon Trust are calling for 250 building owners and five SMMEs to participate in an EPC project funded by UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions).

Since inception of the UK PACT-funded project in March 2021, GBCSA and Carbon Trust have supported the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI), and the National Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) with implementation of a mechanism to support South Africa’s new EPC regulation that aims to drive energy disclosure within South Africa’s existing building stock.

“Climate change and sustainability continues to move up the corporate agenda with global stock exchanges (including the JSE) and investors placing ever increasing emphasis on ESG management and reporting, EPCs could become an important part of South Africa’s national decarbonisation strategy, driving energy efficiency in buildings and ultimately aiding the just transition to a low-carbon economy,” says Jonathan Booth of the Carbon Trust.

South Africa’s EPC regulation was made effective in December 2020 with the requirement for certain types of public sector buildings greater than 1000m² and of private sector buildings greater than 2000m² to obtain an EPC within a two-year period.

As the December 2022 deadline for obtaining an EPC looms for affected building owners, the project is shifting focus from helping to lay the EPC groundwork (read about the project’s first year here) to supporting the implementation of the mechanism. This is anticipated to accelerate the uptake of EPCs in South Africa.

The project team is now actively seeking to support building owners with EPC groundwork and SMMEs who would like to become SANAS accredited inspection bodies.

Call to support 250 building owners in obtaining EPCs

Support will be offered to 250 building owners/managers in obtaining EPCs, whose building fits the following criteria:

• The building is older than two years with no recent major refurbishments
• Entertainment & Public Assembly
• Theatrical & Indoor Sport
• Places of Instruction
• Offices
• A minimum of 12 months of energy data is available for the building
• Public sector buildings greater than 1 000m2, private sector buildings greater than 2 000m2

Owners (or building/facilities managers) of the selected buildings will be provided with:

• Introductory EPC training
• An EPC tool to facilitate data gathering and to assist with the necessary calculations
• Availability of an email based ‘help desk’ to provide ongoing support

If you are a building owner or manager responsible for obtaining your building’s EPC and would like to benefit from this support, sign up online here.

Call to support five SMMEs to become SANAS accredited inspection bodies

The just transition to a low-carbon future and job creation within the green economy are major imperatives both internationally and in South Africa. The EPC legislation plays its part in addressing this by supporting SMMEs involved in the fields of energy efficiency, energy management or energy auditing within the built environment to potentially attain SANAS accreditation as Inspection Bodies. The role of these Inspection Bodies is to verify the data for EPCs and to issue the EPCs.

“EPCs are a good first step for building owners to understand their impact, improve energy efficiency and eventually target net zero. While the industry is faced with several challenges, I personally am very excited about the positive job opportunities and skills in understanding a buildings energy use this regulation will create” says Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA.

Five SMMEs will be offered financial and technical support to help them obtain accreditation from SANAS as an Inspection Body able to issue EPCs.

If you are an SMME and interested in becoming a SANAS-accredited Inspection Body, apply online here.

For information around upcoming EPC training and awareness, workshops please contact info@gbcsa.org.za.

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