From EPC D to A — a full building retrofit
Audit, recommendations and re-assessment that moved a commercial asset four bands and cut consumption by 62%.
Palladium Group, an overseas investor focused on value enhancement of commercial buildings, set an ESG objective of achieving the best possible EPC rating to attract energy-conscious tenants. CSR Sustain was approached by Bloc Building Consultancy, acting on Palladium's behalf.
Client: Palladium Group · via Bloc Building Consultancy · Location: Manchester
- Radiators and gas boilers stripped out and replaced with ceiling-concealed fan coil units and a VRF condenser
- LED lighting retrofit throughout
- Photovoltaic solar panels installed on the roof
How the programme ran
CPD workshop
We began with a CPD workshop to help the client understand current regulations for commercial buildings and the best strategy for improving them.
Audit, survey and modelling
Full audit, survey and energy modelling of the property, establishing an initial calculated rating of D.
Recommendations and re-assessment
A recommendations report for Bloc to implement, followed by a revised energy assessment aligned with recent NCM change
What made this difficult
Inefficient heating
Plant running outside occupancy schedules, with control settings drifting through seasonal change and manual overrides.
Split air conditioning
Plant running outside occupancy schedules, with control settings drifting through seasonal change and manual overrides.
Ambitious target
Plant running outside occupancy schedules, with control settings drifting through seasonal change and manual overrides.
The outcome
An EPC rating of A was achieved in line with MEES compliance, with a 62% reduction in energy consumption — an estimated 79,662 kWh and £7,716 saved annually, and 375tCO₂e of carbon avoided.
Lessons
- Education first — a CPD workshop aligned expectations before any survey took place
- Plant replacement, not fabric, delivered the rating uplift on this asset
- Re-assessment after works is what converts investment into a certified result
