EPCs for Commercial Buildings

7.1 - Glossary of Terms

A building is defined as “a roofed construction having walls, for which energy is used to condition the indoor climate; a building may refer to the building as a whole or parts thereof that have been designed or altered to be used separately”.

The Total useful floor area is the total area of all enclosed spaces measured to the internal face of the external walls, that is to say it is the gross floor area as measured in accordance with the guidance issued to surveyors by the RICS. In this convention:

a. the area of sloping surfaces such as staircases, galleries, raked auditoria, and tiered terraces should be taken as their area on the plan; and

b. areas that are not enclosed such as open floors, covered ways and balconies are excluded.

Buildings which are industrial sites and workshops with low energy demand. These include buildings, or parts of buildings designed to be used separately, whose purpose is to accommodate industrial activities in spaces where the air is not conditioned. Activities that would be covered include foundries, forging and other hot processes, chemical process, food and drinks packaging, heavy engineering and storage and warehouses where, in each case, the air in the space is not fully heated or cooled. Whilst not fully heated or cooled these cases may have some local conditioning appliances such a plaque or air heaters or air conditioners to serve people at work stations or refuges dispersed amongst and not separated from the industrial activities.

Non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand include buildings, or parts of buildings designed to be used separately, that are heated for a few days each year to enable plants to germinate but are otherwise unheated.

SBEM – Simplified Building Energy Model
SBEM is a computer program that provides an analysis of a building’s energy consumption. The SBEM tool is designed to cover buildings that are not dwellings. It has been adopted by government as part of the UK national methodology for calculation of the energy performance of buildings. It is used to demonstrate compliance for dwellings with Part L of the Building Regulations 2000 (in England and Wales). For more information visit: www.ncm.bre.co.uk.

DSM – Dynamic Simulation Model
A Dynamic Simulation Model is a software tool that models energy inputs and outputs for different types of building over time. In certain situations, SBEM, will not be sophisticated enough to provide an accurate assessment of a building’s energy efficiency. In these cases Government-approved proprietary dynamic simulation models may be used. Communities and Local Government will provide such an approval.

SAP – Standard Assessment Procedure
SAP is the Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure for energy assessments of dwellings. The current version of SAP, SAP 2005, has been adopted by Government as part of the England and Wales national methodology for calculation of the energy performance of buildings. It is used to demonstrate compliance for dwellings with Part L of the Building Regulations 2000 (in England and Wales). For further information visit: www.projects.bre.co.uk/sap2005

RdSAP – Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure
RdSAP is the new Government-approved standard assessment procedure for energy assessments of existing dwellings. A full SAP assessment requires many data items that cannot be seen in a survey (or take too long to collect). RdSAP is an industryagreed standard set of data items and a standard way of inferring the missing data. For more information visit: www.nher.co.uk/pages/insight/rdsap.php