Transforming EPCs: Consumer Research Insights and Recommendations

Executive Summary

Energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important for homeowners, with energy bills expected to rise by over 50% this winter. To meet government commitments to net zero and enhance energy security, households will need to make significant changes in how they heat and manage their homes.

Energy performance certificates (EPCs) are intended to help homeowners by providing insights into a property's energy use and offering advice on home efficiency improvements. They are legally required when selling a home and can be valuable for informing decisions during the buying process. Additionally, EPCs are often used to determine eligibility for government grants and green financial products.

However, a recent Which? study revealed that only 3 out of 11 households who had an EPC assessment would recommend it to others, indicating a low perceived value. There are also widespread concerns about the accuracy of EPCs, and organisations like the Climate Change Committee are calling for reform.

In response, both the UK and Scottish governments are reviewing how EPCs can be improved to address these issues and better support the transition to net zero.

In considering these reforms it is important that homeowners' needs are taken into account. As a primary audience for EPCs it is important that homeowners see EPCs as a reliable, relevant and accessible tool to inform decisions about energy use in their homes.

In order to better understand homeowners' perspectives, we conducted 18 in-depth interviews with owner-occupiers across the UK. The homeowners we recruited fit into one of three groups: those who had newly purchased homes, made energy efficiency changes, or were planning to make energy efficiency improvements. These groups were selected because EPCs are particularly relevant to homeowners at these times. The study included homeowners that had previously engaged with EPCs, as well as those who had not. 

This research illustrated the need for these reforms from a consumer perspective. Our research found: 

1. EPCs are currently failing to meet their aims of making homeowners aware of their property’s energy efficiency, and ways in which to improve this.

• Despite EPCs being a legal requirement in home buying, consumer engagement is low.
• Within the home buying process often the EPC is seen as a formality and too generic, leaving them overshadowed by other processes such as home surveys.
• EPCs focus on helping to support consumers’ home energy efficiency improvements. However energy efficiency is not a primary motivator for consumers, with cost and comfort being placed above this. Even when energy improvements were made by owners they were not prompted or informed by the EPC. 

2. The research identified three issues contributing to the low usage and awareness of EPCs. This includes issues with accuracy and reliability, the certificate being obsolete and lacking a connection with homeowners. 

• These issues are problematic as it means the EPC: 
  • Is too technical and lacks relatability or a human touch. This means homeowners are unable to understand the information and do not engage with the document.
  • Has data which often seems inaccurate, outdated, and insufficiently explained. This leads to a lack of trust among homeowners and diminishing its credibility as a reliable source of information.
  • Has recommendations that often appear inflexible and disconnected from homeowners' priorities, making them feel out of touch. As a result, homeowners currently do not find the tool useful for guiding home improvements

Our recommendations

EPCs have an important role in supporting consumers to reduce their energy bills and make the changes necessary to cut carbon emissions and improve energy security. 

Reforms to the content and design of EPCs should focus on supporting homeowners who are making the first steps on a journey to having a more energy efficient home. This means the design, language and length of the EPC should be appropriate for an audience that is new to the topic.

We have developed six principles for improving the content and design of EPCs with examples of how each of these principles can be applied. The examples are illustrated in Chapter 4.

1. Accessible: EPCs should use everyday language and avoid the use of technical terms and jargon. Graphics should be used where appropriate. Care should be taken not to overload EPCs with information or make them too long.

• Introduce a dashboard with four metrics and the key actions the property owner should take. It should be visually engaging and use everyday language. 
• Introduce an ‘energy in / energy out’ graphic to explain the concept of energy efficiency.
• Explain the environmental impact of energy use in less technical terms and using more relatable examples.

2. Useful: EPCs should provide homeowners with the information they want and need so they understand the energy use in their home and can take the necessary steps to make their home more energy efficient.

• Make it clear that the energy metric refers to energy costs. Energy costs are often the most important issue for consumers, but the current metric doesn’t make it clear that this is what the rating relates to.
• Make the information about necessary changes to electrified heat more prominent and provide supporting information. Many consumers are not currently aware of these plans and their implications.

3. Relevant: The information and advice in the EPC should be as tailored to that property and household as possible.

• Maintain the property information at the top of the EPC as this makes it clear that the information is specific to the property and not generic information.
• The EPC should provide a link to tools that use up to date prices and enable homeowners to enter information about their property, household size and energy usage to get more relevant advice and cost estimates.

4. Integrated: EPCs should operate as a gateway by including links to additional resources that help consumers understand more about their options and take the next steps in improving their homes.

• Provide links to additional information and advice from reputable providers, how to find qualified installers and how to access financial support. 
• Additional links could be added as further information and resources become available.

5. Accurate: The information in an EPC should be as accurate as possible. Even small errors can significantly reduce consumer trust in the information in the EPC.

• Consider improvements to the training and auditing of assessors that would improve the accuracy of assessments. 
• Consider introducing a simple mechanism that allows consumers to provide feedback, which can be used to support more targeted auditing.

6. Up to date: The EPC should be as up to date as possible, as this contributes to the perceived accuracy. This relates to both the details about the property and the estimated costs and savings included in the EPC.

• Reduce the validity of EPCs to five years and make it easier for consumers to update their EPC by submitting evidence of improvements made by certified traders. 
• Provide links that use up to date prices to give a more accurate picture of the energy costs of the home, and the costs and benefits of different energy efficiency measures.  

Introduction 

In recent years, energy efficiency has become an increasingly important issue for homeowners. With rising energy prices straining household budgets, and policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy security, significant changes are needed in how we heat our homes. Energy Performance Certificates, or EPCs, are an important tool in helping homeowners and other stakeholders understand and address these challenges. 

EPCs were introduced gradually for properties starting in 2008 and have a number of aims. Some of these aims focused on supporting homeowners during various points of their home owning journey. These include: 

1. Homebuyers: To enable homebuyers to compare the energy costs of different properties (specifically the cost of heating, hot water and lighting).
2. Owner-occupiers: To provide advice on the improvements that can be made to enhance the home's energy efficiency.
3. Landlords: Provide evidence to prove eligibility to rent out a property or gain access to grants and financial products.

EPCs contain information about the energy efficiency of the property as well as advice on how improvements can be made. The content and design of the EPC in England and Wales is different from the EPC in Scotland.

What do EPCs in England and Wales currently look like?

Making EPCs work better for homeowners

A central challenge within the reform will be improving how EPCs work for homeowners, who are the primary audience for these certificates. This will require an EPC reform that builds on their potential as a useful tool for homeowners, and addresses issues with their accuracy and the accessibility and relevance of the information they provide. 

There are several reasons why EPCs could have an important role in supporting homeowners to improve the use of energy in their home:

• The information and advice in an EPC is specific to the property that was assessed. This sets it apart from more general information and advice and helps the consumer understand the insulation and heating system of their home and suggested improvements.
• Homeowners often receive the EPC at the point at which they are purchasing a home, and we know this is often a time when they are considering making changes to improve energy efficiency as they can be done alongside other improvements to minimise disruption. They may also have access to long term finance through their mortgage.

Despite the potential of EPCs to support homeowners, in recent years EPCs have received repeated criticism. This criticism has particularly focused on their accuracy and the usefulness of the information and advice they provide. Several studies have used data from the EPC registry to identify inaccuracies in the ratings and the information that is given about each property. There is also evidence that homeowners question their accuracy and usefulness. A recent Which? mystery shopping study found that only 3 out of 11 households with an EPC audit would recommend updating their EPC to friends or family. 

A challenging context

The demands and requirements on EPCs have also moved on, with a growing emphasis on supporting homeowners through the transition to electrified heating. It has also been proposed that EPCs should raise awareness of new resources, such as building passports (documenting any infirmation about any property changes) and the opportunities presented by smart controls.

EPCs also need to take into account the context in which they operate, with limited consumer awareness of energy efficiency, a challenging market and limited time for homeowners to engage with information. For example:

• Homeowners do not automatically see information about energy efficiency, insulation or their heating systems as relevant to their needs. Although many homeowners are concerned about high energy costs and the comfort of their home, they do not tend to link this to energy efficiency. Many homeowners are also concerned about climate change, but see the solution in behavioural change, such as reducing energy use, rather than changing from gas or oil heating to electrified heating. 
• The market for energy efficiency improvements and sustainable heating systems is challenging for homeowners, with high upfront costs and limited availability of installers in some areas. In some cases prices are not well aligned with government plans. For example, the high unit price for electricity can deter consumers from switching to heat pumps.
• As already noted, homeowners also tend to receive their EPC when in the process of moving home. This is a notoriously stressful time that involves a lot of paperwork. This underscores the challenges that EPCs have to address if they are to meet their objectives.

EPCs cannot resolve all these challenges themselves but the content and design needs to be reformed with these challenges in mind and, alongside other resources, seek to engage and support homeowners in the decisions they need to make.

The potential for reform

In 2020, the UK government launched an Action Plan aimed at making EPCs more "trusted, accurate, and reliable". According to the government's 2021 Progress Report, 11 out of the 35 actions were completed, with progress underway on the rest. However a group including UK Green Building Council, the Energy Efficiency Infrastructure Group and E3G have said there is no “concrete plan or timeline to achieve [the plan]”.

In 2023 the Scottish government launched a consultation covering the design and content of EPCs in Scotland and is expected to report on its findings towards the end of 2024. The UK government was also expected to launch its own consultation at the end of 2023 however the change of Government following the general election has set back these plans and currently no date has yet been announced for when the consultation will be launched.

Consumers are the primary audience for EPCs. It is therefore important that these consultations fully understand how consumers use EPCs and their preferences for how EPCs are reformed. 

Purpose of the research 

We wanted to explore how homeowners feel about the current Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs). To do this we conducted qualitative research to initially help identify what’s working and what isn’t when it comes to the current EPC. Additionally, the research aimed to find out what changes should be made to make EPCs more helpful, with a particular focus on improving their accessibility and usefulness for consumers. We focused on homeowners as they have more agency for making changes to their homes and are therefore an important group that EPCs need to engage, however many of the findings may also apply to small landlords and tenants.

Methodology 

To achieve these aims, between May and July 2024, Jigsaw Research conducted a three-stage qualitative study on behalf of Which? to explore homeowners' understanding and use of EPCs. 

The research used a sample of 18 homeowners across the UK. As seen in Figure 1, the homeowners we recruited fit into one of three groups: those who had newly purchased homes, made energy efficiency changes, or were planning to make energy efficiency improvements. These groups were selected because the EPCs are particularly relevant to homeowners at these times. The study included home owners that had previously engaged with EPCs, and those who had not. 

Figure 1: Sample breakdown

Whilst no other specific quotas were set, we made sure to include a mix of property types (e.g. detached, semi-detached, flats), as well as a range of property ages (excluding new builds). 

The research was conducted in three stages, as illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Overview of research stages

The first two stages of research aimed to evaluate the current EPC and assess its effectiveness in helping homeowners understand the energy efficiency of their property, identify potential improvements, and adopt clean heating measures. In order to do this we conducted a digital pre-task to review initial views on EPCs, followed by more detailed interviews which required participants to critically evaluate their own current EPC and provide initial feedback on future design ideas. 

The final stage of the research focused on the design of EPCs and tested alternative designs that incorporated a range of ideas and suggestions. Half of the sample took part in this stage and were shown three different EPCs (these can be seen in the Annex). Each of the three EPC mock-ups provided a different way to present the sections of the EPC (e.g. property information, dashboard and energy costs). The mock-ups were informed by the insights gathered from the previous stages of the research (i.e. pre-task and in depth interviews). Participants were asked to provide feedback on each of the sections, rather than the EPC mock-up as a whole. This enabled us to explore what an ideal EPC could include in the future and to test initial designs through a consumer lens.

Outline of report

Chapter 1 provides an overview of homeowners’ current experiences and understanding of EPCs, including the extent to which EPCs are meeting their needs. 

Chapter 2 dives deeper to assess how the content and design of the current EPC are working for homeowners, highlighting particular sections that are failing to meet consumer needs. 

Chapter 3 explores consumers feedback on how the design of EPCs could be improved to enhance their experience. Chapter 4 provides the key learnings and recommendations which can be made to improve the current EPC document and ensure future iterations work better for homeowners.

Chapter 1: How are EPCs currently used by homeowners?

EPCs role in the home buying process

EPCs are a legal requirement in the home buying process and provide a standardised and comparable energy metric to help buyers quickly compare the energy performance of different properties. For many homeowners, this is the point when they have the most exposure to EPCs, as the energy efficiency rating is displayed on property listing platforms or in property details.  

Despite home buying being an important opportunity to engage homeowners, for many homeowners the level of engagement is quite limited. One home owner explained how seeing the EPC on a property listing platform is a common feature when looking for a new home. However, there is a sense that it is just part of the process, rather than something that is particularly valued.

“It's usually in the documentation you get on [a property listing website]. Yes, I think it would have the EPC there. So it's something you can do. You'd see when you're looking at the photos. So it's kind of just part of the course of house hunting, really.”

Whilst most homeowners claimed they were aware of the EPC in the home buying stage, they paid it little attention. 

“The EPC had absolutely no bearing on the purchase of this house. It was almost a formality, and I didn't even really register what the rating was. We knew that we would improve the house and carry out energy efficient improvements along the way.”

Some homeowners in the research thought the EPC contained generic information, and were surprised to discover the information and advice was specific to their home. For others, awareness didn’t extend beyond the rating. 

One owner mentioned that while they do consider the rating, they often view the rest of the EPC with some scepticism.

“I do tend to check the high-level rating when looking at properties for sale, but take it with a pinch of salt. I didn’t really make much use of it in terms of influencing my decision. However, I did read through the information as a point of interest.”

Despite most homeowners paying little attention to the EPC, it was important for some home buyers who valued the ability to get a sense of what the energy bills are likely to be for a property and what additional improvements may be required.

“So, if I was to rate this [the EPC], I'll say it’s top of mind because we're talking about bills, right? I think that was the major thing in my head because I was looking at the fact that all the money had already gone into the equity bit. So, I wanted a home that required minimum improvements.”

Although EPCs are a mandatory requirement in the home buying process, homeowners’ responses suggest they are not yet an effective tool to provide homeowners with information about properties or engage them with advice on the changes that can be made.  

At a time when there is a lot of paperwork and documentation for homeowners to process, it is unsurprising that homeowners are paying little to no attention to EPCs. As explained by the verbatims above, for many these EPC ratings aren't registering as important, and aren’t engaging or useful for potential homeowners.

Given the challenges of engaging homeowners during the home buying process, it is important that the EPC is more accessible. Even if homeowners do not engage with all the details at this point, it is important that they understand the information it contains and why this is useful, so that they can come back to it when they have more time.

A missed opportunity for EPCs to support improvements in the home

Our research found that although homeowners show relatively limited interest in the EPC for their home, this wasn’t because they weren’t interested or engaged with making improvements. In fact, most of the homeowners in our research had made modernisation and cost saving changes. By making these changes they had also improved the energy efficiency of their property, but these were rarely referred to as energy efficiency improvements. Environmental considerations were also rarely seen as the primary motivator for these changes, as they are often overshadowed by other priorities.  

For example one household installed underfloor heating and insulation whilst working on an extension. 

“Yeah, it was for more space [adding an extension] and just to correct the layout really. And to make a more comfortable living area… In the process we've put extra insulation under the floor, and we've got underfloor heating. So, these bits are all pretty much all sorted.”

When homeowners are looking to make these improvements to their properties, the research found that EPCs are rarely used. Instead, decisions are guided by intuition or advice from builders, rather than the recommendations in the EPC. This suggests that current EPCs are not effectively influencing homeowners to initiate energy-efficient home improvements or to inform their choice of improvements.

“I’ve lived in this house for coming up to 15 years… I don’t think I’ve looked at the EPC since then… and I have made improvements, I have done things to the house.”

In summary, EPCs are currently falling short of their potential to be a go-to resource for promoting energy-efficient upgrades. Householders are aware of the role they have in the home buying process and they are interested in how to reduce energy bills and make improvements to their home, but for most homeowners the EPC is not a central part of the decision-making process. In the next chapter we explore homeowners' reactions to the current design and content of the EPC and why this fails to effectively engage homeowners and give them information that is relevant to their needs.

 Chapter 2: Why are EPCs failing to engage homeowners?

Chapter 1 suggests that most homeowners are not engaging with EPCs in the home buying process or when making improvements to their homes. In order to understand why EPCs are failing to engage homeowners at these critical points, we conducted a series of in depth interviews with the 18 homeowners involved in the research. Through the interviews we looked at the different sections of the EPC, asking homeowners to critically evaluate their own EPC, and seeking to understand their views on different aspects of the design and content. 

Aspects of the EPC that work well

While homeowners often perceive the EPC as having limited value, they do appreciate and find certain aspects useful or engaging. These are typically the sections that offer something familiar and specific to the property. This alignment is most evident in four key components.

First, the inclusion of the address and property details, as seen in Figure 3. Whilst on the surface this feels like a very simple obvious feature already included  in the EPC, this is seen as very valuable for many homeowners. For some homeowners, they are unaware that the EPC is a document about their property, which this initial section helps to overcome once consumers engage.  

“Yeah, that's why I've kind of always skimmed over EPCs, because I thought it was just a kind of generic thing from the surveyors. So knowing it is about my house is surprising”

Figure 3: Property details set out in the current EPC

Figure 4 illustrates the use of a single overall rating. This single rating was appreciated by homeowners, even though its meaning wasn't immediately clear.

Figure 4: The existing energy efficiency rating graphic

Homeowners already associate this graph with energy use due to its use in other areas such as electrical products. As explained by one participant, the familiar traffic light system is effective in giving homeowners a standardised and comparable sense of a property’'s energy performance. 

“We've all grown up with traffic lights. We all understand green, amber, red. You don't want to be in the red.”

Furthermore, homeowners appreciated the ‘potential’ rating featured within Figure 4. This rating is particularly effective in engaging and motivating homeowners because it clearly shows how their home’s energy efficiency could improve. It provides a clear purpose for the subsequent recommendations, showing them how their property could achieve a higher rating should they make specific improvements to the home in the future.

"So the ratings show you where you are right now and where you could be if you were to implement these changes. Of course that's useful.”

“I can look at a house that I really love, and quickly see that it's a C with the potential of a B.”

Our research also revealed that the current "How this affects your energy bills" section strongly resonated with homeowners.  

Figure 5: An example of how the current EPC links to costs for homeowners

The section, illustrated in Figure 5, directly addresses homeowners' top concern - cost - especially in the context of recent energy price increases. By clearly linking energy ratings to their potential impact on bills, this section plays a crucial role in motivating homeowners to make energy-saving improvements. 

“I think costs are the most relatable thing, especially because you're in a cost-of-living crisis now. People need to know how much things are going to cost them.”

Key issues that undermine the value of EPCs

The research identified three issues contributing to the low engagement and perceived value of EPCs, with these being reflective of both the EPC development process and the EPC itself: 

1. The accuracy and reliability of the information 
2. The certificate becoming obsolete
3.  Information lacks a clear connection to how it directly impacts the consumer

Each of these issues are explored below. 

The accuracy and reliability of the information

Inaccuracies in Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have been the focus of several large scale studies. Research has employed various methodologies, including comparing current EPCs with previous ones for that property to identify aspects that should remain unchanged. Another study cross-referenced EPCs with other data sets and found  that one in four EPCs have discrepancies of more than 10% when reporting the property’s floor area. 

Our new research adds to the existing evidence that accuracy is a concern for homeowners [5]. While some people accept EPCs at face value without delving into the specifics, a number of research participants did look into the information and advice in more detail. When these engaged individuals identified data within the EPC which was incorrect, this undermined the level of trust they had in the documents. This prompted them to scrutinise other details more closely and question other information.

“I certainly don't claim to be a glazing expert, but I have enough knowledge to be able to tell the difference between single and double glazing. So [for the EPC] to get that wrong. It does make you lose a little bit of faith in the process and who the assessors are.”

Homeowners were also concerned about the reliability of the costs included in sections such as ‘How this affects your energy bills’. This data was seen as inaccurate, or even meaningless. One example pulled out by participants was the recent increases in energy costs and changed working practices, with more people working from home potentially heating their homes for longer.

“This bit here around the energy bills – how can they put a cost on that? Because with everything that's fluctuating with energy pricing, that seems like such a finger in the air figure. We've definitely spent more than 1,200 quid on heat, hot water and lighting.”

“But even [the energy cost] is not accurate, because it would be nowhere near that cost, I don't think.”

It should be noted that concerns about inaccuracies and reliability can have various causes, from poor measurements or observations, features that were not visible to assessors, data that is out of date, or misunderstandings. Some of these issues can be addressed by reforming the content and design of EPCs, however it will also be important to ensure all assessors have received sufficient training to deliver consistently good standards. The auditing of assessors must also be effective in identifying poor performance and recurring issues so that these can be addressed through training or enforcement. Finally improvements are being made to the software model that assessors use to record details about the property. 

The new version, which will be called the Home Energy Model, will allow more options and details to be included so that the ratings will more accurately reflect the features of the property. In contrast, house surveys are generally regarded as more precise and trustworthy. These surveys often involve more detailed and comprehensive assessments, which enhances their credibility. As a result, house surveys typically exert a greater influence on consumer decisions compared to EPCs, which are viewed with more scepticism.

“For me personally, I would never be buying a property without having a full homebuyers survey as minimum conducted on it. So I would absolutely be expecting to get that sort of information from that survey.”

The certificate becoming obsolete

Currently, EPCs are valid for 10 years, which means they are often outdated. An EPC is only a record of the property at the point at which the assessment is made. As soon as any new energy efficiency changes are made to the property, the data in the EPC is obsolete.

“They last ten years, and within two months [of moving in], I'd had a new boiler put in, so it was already out of date. So, when it came to selling on, it was totally irrelevant really, even though it was still valid. What is the point of all this if it's nine years out of date?”

This issue is evident even in the area where EPCs are most commonly used—during the home buying process. Since a property can be sold with an EPC that is up to 10 years old, participants have reported buying homes where the EPC no longer reflects the current condition. This has led to the perception that EPCs are merely a tick-box exercise.

“In that ten year period the EPC was still valid. But I'd had so much work done that it was, you know, it was irrelevant, really.”

Information lacks a clear connection to how it directly impacts the consumer

Currently, the EPC is perceived as a formal report that fails to effectively communicate with homeowners in a relatable and straightforward manner. This perception arises from several issues:

1. Lacking Practical Relevance

The EPC often fails to address the "so what" factor, meaning it does not clearly explain the practical implications of its findings and what the consumer needs to do next. homeowners are left wondering why certain information matters and how it impacts their daily lives.

“It just says recommended measures and heating controls room thermostat was one of them, but not yet. Doesn't really say anything about the impact that would have.”

2. Adaptable Recommendations

The recommendations in the EPC tend to be too rigid, not giving homeowners the flexibility to tailor them to their own priorities. As shown in Figure 6, the current format requires homeowners to follow multiple steps in a specific order to improve their EPC rating—for example, completing steps 1 and 2 might result in a score of 73. However, homeowners may only have the budget or ability to complete step 2. Yet, due to the EPC's format, they cannot easily see the benefits of making this change on its own.  

“Yeah, some of the recommendations do feel a bit unachievable, so I just would never consider doing any of them”

Figure 6: A sample of a step-by-step process for delivering energy efficiency recommendations to homeowners

As explained by one homeowner, being able to see how each individual change can improve the home will allow that flexibility.

“So, you know, not what would it improve it to, but how much would it improve it by? So, if I could say, okay, I want to do the draught proofing and the cavity wall insulation, that'll increase it 15 points.”

3. Complex Language

The terminology used in an EPC can be technical and confusing for the average consumer and this can result in homeowners disengaging with the document. Previous Which? research has also identified complex language as a problem in relation to energy bills, suggesting that this may be a widespread issue affecting various energy-related documents.

An important example of this is the use of terms such as kWh in the EPC caused homeowners to disengage.

“I get lost in all that [kWH].”

“These kilowatt hour things and all of that, that means nothing that goes over my head. Like, I do not know what 15,295 kilowatt per year for heating means. Like, what? That's just a random figure.”

The same confusion applies to terms like ‘energy performance’ and ‘energy efficiency’. For many homeowners, these concepts often feel vague and abstract. However, when we explore this further, we find that many homeowners can explain these ideas but refer to them differently - such as focusing on improving heating or comfort. For instance, the quote below illustrates how one homeowner addressed issues with inefficient windows that were causing significant discomfort for their household.

“So when we first moved in, I'm not going to lie, but it was like hell. Every sash window was broken, so we had drafts coming in. Like, last year was so cold, like February time. Like, it was so bad, we couldn't have the heating on enough. We had to basically have the heating on 24/7 for, like, two months just to warm the spoons up”

By failing to use terms that homeowners easily relate to, the EPC is potentially missing the opportunity to engage homeowners with the useful information and advice that it contains. This is also seen in relation to the energy rating that appears at the top of the EPC and is also the focus of the energy graph.

“No, I didn't know what the rating was measuring. If it is energy cost this is important”

“I’ve got no idea what metric they are using”

If homeowners are unclear about the headline metric they will understandably be unclear about the purpose of the EPC and some of the sections. Our results found that homeowners are more interested in these issues if they are communicated more clearly in everyday language.

As shown in Figure 7, similar issues were observed in the environmental impact section. Householders recognised the importance of the topic but struggled to engage with the information due to the technical language used. This points to a fundamental issue in the sector regarding consumer awareness and understanding of terms such as carbon emissions. With more environmental measures being introduced in the move towards net zero, issues will need to be more clearly communicated. This will help homeowners understand the reasons why changes are necessary and the contribution that they can make. 

“I don’t know what tonnes of CO2 is? I think it would be better if it said something like ‘this is equivalent to taking x number of flights’… I can get that.”

“Carbon emissions?... It feels technical.”

“[They need] to put that into perspective – flying from the UK to Spain produces x amount of tons…”

Figure 7: EPCs currently present the property’s  impact on the environment in a confusing and unrelatable way

What does this mean for the design and content of EPCs?

Although EPCs contain some useful sections (such as the energy rating graphic and its implications for energy bills), the shortcomings in the current format often result in the document being perceived as:

• Technical and lacking relatability or a human touch meaning homeowners are unable to understand the information and therefore do not engage with the document.
• Data often seems inaccurate, outdated, and insufficiently explained, leading to a lack of trust among homeowners and diminishing its credibility as a reliable source of information.
• Recommendations often appear inflexible and disconnected from homeowners' priorities, making them feel out of touch. As a result, homeowners currently do not find the tool useful for guiding home improvements.

As a result, the EPC tended to play an insignificant role in participants’ lives, particularly regarding energy efficiency improvements. 

Chapter 3: How could the design and content of EPCs be made to work for homeowners?

In chapter 2 we explored the issues with the current EPC, identifying three issues: accuracy and reliability, obsolete information, and a lack of a clear connection to how it directly impacts the consumer. One of the threads running through these issues is the design aspects of the EPC. The current design contributes to these issues, and therefore there needs to be improvements to what EPCs look like and contain.  

This part of the research focused on the design and content and tested some alternative designs. Half of the sample from the first two stages of the research (9 people) took part in this stage and were shown three different mock EPC designs. Each of the three EPC mock-ups provided a different way to present sections of the EPC (e.g. property information, dashboard and energy costs). The mock-ups were informed by the insights gathered from the previous stages of the research (i.e. pre-task and in depth interviews). Participants were asked to provide feedback on each of the sections, rather than the EPC mock-up as a whole. 

This chapter explores consumers’ views on these EPC mock-ups, looking at each section separately. We selected several designs used in the research to help illustrate what homeowners found useful and to highlight their suggested improvements. This chapter focuses on the consumer findings from the research. Chapter 4 builds on this and explores the recommendations developed as a result of these findings.   

What could EPCs look like? - Reflections from a consumer’s perspective

1. Property information

It became clear through the research that homeowners want information that is specific to their property, rather than something generic. The property information at the start of the current EPC design is something homeowners already find beneficial. Therefore in the research we maintained this design with a few minor adaptations.

Figure 8: Illustration on the property information used within the research

2. Dashboard 

Homeowners often receive an EPC whilst buying a property, a process that involves a lot of paperwork and is usually a busy and stressful time for all involved. Many homeowners do not look much further than the overall rating. In order for the EPC to engage homeowners it is critical that homeowners can quickly grasp the purpose of the EPC and get a clear sense of the key information that the EPC offers. For this reason we tested providing a concise overview of the key points, including energy costs, environmental impact, insulation, the heating system, and the recommendations, using everyday language and familiar ratings. 

Figure 9: Simple home dashboard including four metrics and recommendations

3. Energy Cost

Our research shows that energy costs are a top priority for homeowners and should therefore continue to be an important feature of the EPC going forward. In addition to this, the energy graph was something which homeowners found familiar. We therefore tested keeping the energy graph, but made it clearer that it referred to the cost of energy for heating, hot water, and lightning in the home. This better supports the original purpose of the EPC which is to enable homeowners to compare energy costs between similar sized homes as well as the current and potential energy costs.

 Figure 10: EPC rating traffic light graph based on energy cost

4. Environmental Impact 

Although environmental information was included both in the current EPC and the test designs, it didn’t strongly resonate with most of the group. Many homeowners want to contribute to tackling climate change but cost concerns are often more pressing and in some cases the link between home heating and environmental impacts isn’t fully understood. In the EPC this is exacerbated by the lack of relatable real life comparisons. 

Therefore we tested a design which included more information to address these concerns. For example, explaining the share of UK emissions that come from home heating, equating CO2 emissions to round trips to New York.

Figure 11: An example of showing environmental impact in a relatable way

5. Energy In and out 

For many, the current EPC design does not effectively connect energy cost information with actionable steps for cost reduction. It lacks a cohesive narrative that ties together ratings, property features, and recommendations, making it appear disjointed. 

In response to this consumer feedback, we tested a simple graphic, as seen in Figure 12, that illustrates the amount of energy entering the property and the energy lost due to inefficiencies to see if this could help to address this gap. 

Figure 12: Graphic showing homeowners the process of energy loss through inefficiencies

6. Where are you losing heat? 

The list of the property’s features and the breakdown of the property’s energy performance was an aspect of the current EPC that attracted attention and made homeowners feel the assessment was thorough and comprehensive. However participants felt they often didn't have a clear link to the recommendations, meaning homeowners didn’t really understand the relevance of the information. 

As illustrated in Figure 13, the new design attempted to address these challenges in a number of ways, including liking property features to actions, and tweaking the language used. 

Figure 13: Design testing a different approach linking property features and improvements needed

7. Your heating and hot water system

Over the next 10 years many households in the UK will need to make significant changes to the way they heat their homes by moving from gas and oil central heating to electrified heating, such as a heat pump. Whilst awareness of this issue is growing, many homeowners are not aware that if they buy a property in the next few years, there is a good chance they should consider changing to a heat pump when they next change their heating system. At present this isn’t something which is currently addressed within EPCs. We therefore tested out ways in which this may be explored, one of which is seen in Figure 14.

Figure 14: Suggested design to introduce heating system changes to homeowners  

8. Recommendations

The recommendations section is the most actionable aspect of the EPC document. However in the existing version, this currently lacks flexibility and doesn’t reflect how homeowners make improvements in their homes. The earlier stage in our research suggested homeowners wanted to pick and choose which changes to make. 

As seen in Figure 15,  the test design separates the recommended improvements into ‘Quick wins’ and ‘Actions requiring expertise’.

Figure 15: Home improvement recommendations broken down for homeowners

9. Providing links to additional support

Through the earlier stages of the research, homeowners expressed the need for additional information, advice and support in order to make some of the recommended changes.  However, homeowners explained that too much information can risk overloading the EPC, and undermining the objective of making EPCs an accessible entry point for homeowners.

With this in mind we tested the idea of providing links to additional information; giving homeowners access to information either from the government or other reliable providers. This could include further information and advice on the improvements that are recommended in the EPC, information about financing including grants and loans, and databases of reliable, qualified installers that belong to relevant certification schemes. 

Figure 16: Example of additional information to include in EPCs

 Chapter 4 Conclusion and recommendations

EPCs have an important role in supporting homeowners to reduce their energy bills and make the changes necessary to cut carbon emissions and improve energy security. In order to realise these objectives, the content and design of EPCs needs to be reformed to better meet consumers’ needs. With reform, EPCs could support homeowners in the process of purchasing a home and in making decisions about improvements to the heating and insulation of the home.

In Chapter 3 we have shared feedback from homeowners on some initial ideas for improving the content and design of EPCs. This feedback included comments on specific ideas and proposals, as well as broader messages that came through from homeowners’ reactions and comments. 

Principles for reforming the content and design of the EPC

Reforms should focus on supporting homeowners who are making the first steps on a journey to having a more energy efficient home. This means the design, language and length of the EPC should be appropriate for an audience that is new to the topic. A clear design and the use of everyday language is also likely to be most effective in engaging homeowners that are purchasing a home as this is often a stressful process involving a lot of paperwork.

EPCs alone cannot provide all the information that homeowners need to improve the energy use of their homes. Therefore EPCs should be integrated with other services and resources, so they become a doorway offering homeowners access to the other tools and information necessary to make informed decisions. 

Our research also illustrated how homeowners' concerns about accuracy can undermine the value they attach to EPCs. Some aspects of accuracy and reliability can be addressed through the design and content of the EPC itself as well as through improvements to other communications with homeowners. 

Figure 17: Principles to guide EPC reform  

Recommendations for reforming the content and design of the EPC

Using the above principles we have developed more specific recommendations for reforming sections of the EPC as well as a model EPC. These recommendations illustrate ways in which EPCs could be made to work better for homeowners, but leave room for further ideas and development. 

Making EPCs more relatable and useful

1. Make it clear that the information and advice in an EPC is specific to the property:

• Maintain the property information at the top of the EPC to clearly demonstrate that the EPC is specific to that property and not generic property information.
• Do not overload this section with too much technical information as it risks putting homeowners off from engaging further.

2. Create a logical narrative: 

• Develop a coherent narrative throughout the EPC to help homeowners understand the significance of the information provided. 
• At each step, support homeowners to understand why information is provided (‘so what?’) and what they can do next (‘what next?’).

3. Introduce a dashboard: 

• Introduce a dashboard early in the EPC layout. 
• The dashboard should be a concise summary of key information and visually appealing. We have recommended four metrics (energy cost, carbon footprint, insulation and heating) and the key actions.
• The layout should reinforce the logical narrative used in the rest of the EPC.

4. Make the information about energy costs clearer:

• Make it clear that the energy metric refers to energy costs.
• Keep the energy metric and graph as this information is valued by homeowners and the graph is familiar and useful. 
• Remove references to ‘average’ households as this can be seen as being good enough. Instead make it clear that improvements help to reduce energy costs.
• Remove the estimated energy costs, and provide a link to a tool that uses up to date prices and enables homeowners to enter information about their household size and preferences.

5. Improve the environmental impact section: 

• Make the environmental impact section more engaging by reinstating the graph in the English and Welsh EPC. It is currently part of the Scottish EPC.
• Provide information about why heating has an impact (primarily the use of gas and oil) and the contribution it makes to UK emissions.
• Provide relatable comparisons when referring to carbon emissions. 
• Remove references to ‘average’ households as this can be seen as good enough, instead make it clear that improvements help to reduce environmental impact.

6. Use a graphic to explain energy efficiency: 

• Use a graphic (such as the energy in / energy out graphic) to illustrate a property’s energy efficiency.
• Consider whether the graphic can illustrate the impact of solar production, heating and fabric efficiency without becoming too complex. 

7. Develop the heating section: 

• Make the heating section more prominent, potentially by using graphics.
• Explain the need to move to electrified heating and provide information and support for homeowners to understand when, and how to make changes to their heating system.

8. Integrate the description of the property features with advice on changes:

• Present the features of the property, their rating and the advice in one table so homeowners understand the connection between them.
• Replace the estimated costs and benefits with a link to information that can provide more detailed information based on the type of property as well as the additional benefits that may be realised from improvements.

9. Categorise recommendations:

•  Support homeowners’ understanding of the proposed changes by categorising them using everyday language such as ‘Quick Wins’ and ‘Actions Requiring Expertise’.

10. Include helpful links: 

• Add links to tools and resources from reliable sources. This could include information and advice (including costs), financial support, and certified installers.
• Depending on consumer feedback it may be possible to add additional links without overloading the consumer with too much information.

11. Provide a separate section for more technical information:

• In order to declutter the EPC design and remove information that is less relevant to homeowners, include technical information in a section that is clearly labelled ‘for official use’ or ‘for use by housing professionals’.
• This will clearly signal that householders don’t need to engage with this information, whilst ensuring professionals have access to it. 

Making EPCs more accurate and reliable

1. Address misunderstandings through better design and content: Use clear, everyday language. Where necessary provide additional explanation when users hover over that section.
2. Provide explanatory information in other formats: To enhance engagement, the government, accreditation schemes, approved organisations and assessors could consider using wrap-around communications, like welcome emails or apps, to better deliver EPC information and advice. Homeowners may engage more with content in the body of an email or an app than with the EPC itself and these formats may provide more flexibility in how information is delivered. Energy companies have found this approach effective for summarising energy bills. Whereas an email would most likely have to go to the person that purchased the EPC, an app could be accessed by subsequent owners of the property.
3. Introduce consumer feedback mechanisms: Accreditation schemes, and approved organisations in Scotland, should also consider giving homeowners a straightforward means of providing feedback on their EPC. Homeowners are used to reviewing products and services, and this would create an incentive for assessors to deliver high-quality assessments, including answering any questions that homeowners have. It would also help to identify recurring issues, such as aspects of the EPC that often cause confusion or assessors who regularly receive poor feedback. It is important that the person providing the feedback on the EPC is the person that purchased it and that the feedback is given within a short period after the assessment has been completed.

A model EPC based on the principles and recommendations

Figure 18 illustrates how the findings from our consumer research could be integrated into the design of the EPC. We have used specific feedback on aspects of the current EPC as well as feedback on our proposals. It also incorporates some of the broader messages from the research which are captured in our principles for EPC reform. In the notes we have identified some important areas where more work is needed and we welcome stakeholders further developing these proposals.

Figure 18: EPC incorporating Which?’s recommendations