The Challenge
A national property management firm responsible for 45 commercial office buildings across London and the South East needed to assess their portfolio's compliance with the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. With regulatory thresholds expected to tighten to EPC band B by 2030, they needed a clear picture of which properties were at risk and what investment would be required.
Several leases were due for renewal within the next 12 months, making timely EPC certification a commercial priority as well as a regulatory one.
Our Approach
Synavo deployed a dedicated team of Level 3 and Level 5 non-domestic energy assessors to survey the entire portfolio within an eight-week window.
Portfolio Assessment
We surveyed all 45 properties using the SBEM methodology, capturing detailed data on building fabric, HVAC systems, lighting, and renewable energy installations. Properties ranged from Grade II listed conversions to modern purpose-built offices, requiring assessors with experience across a wide range of building types.
Risk Analysis
Following the surveys, we produced a portfolio-level risk analysis categorising each property as compliant, at-risk, or non-compliant against both current MEES thresholds (band E) and the anticipated 2030 standard (band B). This analysis enabled the client to prioritise investment where it was most needed.
Improvement Recommendations
For each at-risk and non-compliant property, we provided targeted improvement recommendations with estimated costs, energy savings, and projected EPC rating improvements. Recommendations were tailored to each building's specific constraints, including listed building restrictions and lease obligations.
Results
- Certificates issued: 45 non-domestic EPCs delivered within 8 weeks
- Current compliance: 42 of 45 properties confirmed compliant with current MEES (band E)
- 2030 readiness: 18 properties identified as at-risk for the anticipated band B threshold
- Investment plan: Detailed improvement recommendations provided for all at-risk properties, with a total estimated investment of 2.1 million GBP to achieve portfolio-wide band B compliance
- Quick wins identified: 12 properties could improve by one or more EPC bands through low-cost measures (LED lighting, controls optimisation) at an average cost of 8,500 GBP per property
- Lease renewals: All time-critical certificates issued within the first three weeks, enabling lease renewals to proceed without delay