Green Zone Surveys Support Clients in Scotland by Providing Combined EPC Surveys and Section 63 Assessments.
Following his successful completion of the Section 63 course, we wanted to hear directly from Jordan, our Project Surveyor, about what this fantastic achievement means for him, Green Zone Surveys and our clients in Scotland. Discover what Section 63 involves, why Jordan believes it will strengthen the services Green Zone offers and the message it sends to clients...
Hi Jordan, let’s begin with a simple question… What is Section 63 and what were the main areas covered within the course you completed?
Section 63 is part of the Climate Change Act 2009 in Scotland applying to non-domestic buildings. It is only triggered when selling or leasing a building over 1,000m2, and building to pre-2002 building regulations. It is an assessment that identifies opportunities of energy-saving measures, therefore reducing their emissions and producing a better EPC rating.
The course covers all the requirements a building must meet to qualify for a Section 63 assessment, as well as the process to go through to produce an Action Plan, outlining the opportunities and their emission saving potential.
How did the course build on your existing knowledge of building regulations and energy efficiency?
The course just reinforced my knowledge of building regulations and ways to improve a building's energy efficiency through various methods. It started to give me a better idea of what measures produce higher emission-savings, which will allow me to suggest better recommendations when producing an Action Plan.
How do you see the knowledge you gained being applied in your day-to-day role?
The knowledge gained aids my decision and reasoning when under-taking site surveys. When speaking with clients on-site, we can have in-depth conversations about upgrades on building services and fabric that are more specific and applicable to them.
What opportunities does Section 63 create for businesses that want to showcase their environmental responsibility?
Section 63 is all about identifying potential improvements which can be implemented over a 42-month period. It suggests that business are committed to executing the recommendations to reduce their emissions, rather than just having a list of recommendations that they could potentially act on.
How do you think this will help improve the services we provide at Green Zone Surveys?
Through Section 63, we can expand our network throughout Scotland, offering a service that only applies to their buildings, not the rest of the UK. We can combine our current EPC survey with a Section 63 assessment to produce a cohort of documents, with recommendations from the EPC and an Action Plan that highlights key improvements and emission-savings. This provides an in-depth analysis of how they can achieve a better EPC rating, making their building more attractive to possible buyers.
Green Zone Surveys prides itself on combining compliance with sustainability - how does the Section 63 course reinforce that ethos?
Section 63 pushes ALL commercial properties to be better on its energy efficiency. The older, inefficient buildings no longer get ignored when they get sold / leased, raising them to today’s standards with significant building upgrades and sustainable technology. It holds building owners responsible to reduce their energy usage as the Action Plan isn’t advisory – they must either improve the building within the notice period or opt for annual DECs reporting their energy usage for the year. The 42-month window encourages long-term investments, with fabric upgrades often being neglected due to price and time. Section 63 can also dovetail with other energy-saving documents, such as ESOS, and can all be integrated into a suitable strategy.
Finally, what message would you give to businesses that are unsure about the value of Section 63 compliance?
With costs rising, energy-savings should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind, now more than ever. Section 63 offers the chance to lower those running costs with specific energy upgrades at a steady rate, showcase how seriously owners are taking sustainability and stay ahead of Scotland’s net-zero targets. Compliance is designed to save money and boost appeal when looking to sell / lease.
Is Your Business Located in Scotland?
Contact us today to learn more about how we can support you in your journey to compliance.
Happy to help!
Our friendly, expert team are always on hand to help. We will always strive to provide you with the highest level of service and help you find exactly what you’re looking for!
Get in touch!
