As spring awakens and we surge closer to the halfway point of 2023, energy efficiency continues to improve in leaps and bounds as the next generation of buyers
seeps into the housing market. To substantiate this claim, new research from Abode Heat reveals the growth in energy-efficient homes, and which regions in England have the highest performance in terms of good EPC ratings. *
In its latest study, Abode Heat* found a significant overall improvement in the scores of the 16.6 million EPC ratings recorded in the last decade. * Back in 2013, Abode Heat recorded 2,297 domestic buildings, or homes, in the UK achieving the highest possible rating for their energy performance. * Compared to a decade later, there were 10,353 high-performing homes in 2022, a whopping 350% increase, marking a pivotal milestone for the property industry and setting the standard for a greener future.*
Ben Hodges, Director at Abode Heat, comments: “It’s great to see this energy efficiency improvement on a domestic scale. 2022 itself was a record year for homes receiving an ‘A’ rating on the EPC register, with a 74.7% increase from 2021 to 2022 figures. Whilst this is great for the environment, the UK’s net zero targets, and the buildings’ performance, it is worth noting that there is still a way to go as most buildings are receiving a ‘C’ rating, with 39.4% of the 1.76 million rated domestic properties in 2022 scoring ‘C’.
“The EPC register tracks ratings of buildings, but these are only required when sold, rented or built, so it’s unlikely to be a truly accurate representation of the UK domestic building stock as a whole right now for energy efficiency. What it does indicate though is a steady increase year-on-year in homes receiving higher ratings, which is extremely positive for the building industry. There has been a notable 48% decrease in the amount of G-rated domestic homes in the last decade (since 2013), to highlight this too.” *
The South leads the ranks
Adobe’s research included a record of regional breakdown for the EPC ratings analysed. They looked into the total number of A-G-rated homes from 2008 onwards. Here is how each region in the UK fared in the contest for the highest number of ‘A’ ratings from 2008-2022:
1. South West – 8733 *
2. South East – 7952 *
3. East of England – 7380 *
4. London – 4814 *
5. Yorkshire and the Humber – 4804 *
6. West Midlands – 4491 *
7. East Midlands – 4139 *
8. North West – 3726 *
9. North East – 2094 *
Ben concludes: “As a heat pump specialist in the South West, we are delighted to see our region receive the most A ratings in the EPC register. The south of England has an abundance of new builds and homes sold in the last few years as the pandemic and coastal factors make it a more idyllic settlement choice, so this could be contributing to the higher number of new builds
or homes with high energy efficiency ratings.
“It also will be in part due to the number of providers in other areas that make choices such as solar PV panels, or a heat pump, a practical solution for homeowners and developers. With the South West currently having more than 4 times as many A-rated domestic buildings than the North East since 2008, we hope this will level out over the coming years as adoption of energy-efficient measures around the whole UK increases.”
Abode Heat*
Want to know what your home is worth? Book a valuation today: Click here
