On 8 December 2020, a notice was published in the Government Gazette making the public display of a SANS 1544 Energy Performance Certificate mandatory. The certificate will have to be submitted to the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) as well as be publicly displayed at the entrance of your building. Companies have two years to comply, meaning that it will be illegal to be without one from 8 December 2022.
What is a SANS 1544 Energy Performance Certificate?
In short, an Energy Performance Certificate is an official document issued by an accredited body, indicating the energy performance of that specific building and their accordance with the South African National Standard (SANS) 1544:2014 Energy Performance Certificates for buildings.
The energy performance is defined in the regulations as the net energy consumed in kilowatt-hours per square meter, per year (kWh/m²/yr) to meet the different needs associated with the use of a building. This includes energy usage for purposes such as HVAC, lighting and water heating.
Who Must Comply?
All buildings must have a publicly displayed SANS 1544 certificate at the entrance of the building if:
- The total net floor area is equal to or greater than:
- 1000m² (for state-owned buildings)
- 2000m² (for private-owned buildings)
- The building has not undergone major renovations in the last two years
- The building is used predominantly for one of the following purposes:
- Office space
- Entertainment
- Place of instruction
- Theatrical activities
- Indoor sports
- Public assembly
Within three months of being issued this certificate by the accredited body, the owner of the building must submit the certificate to SANEDI. The certificate is valid for five years and building owners are required to go through the same process again before the expiration date.
How We’re Preparing
We have created and appointed a new team whose main focus is to ensure that Powerstar became an accredited body that can issue the SANS 1544 certificate. We are now SANAS Accredited Inspection Body No. EPC0003 and we’re ready to be offering an extensive EPC programme.
We know that the majority of our customers will have to comply, therefore, we’re making the process easier for you. You will be able to use your current metering infrastructure to obtain the SANS 1544 energy performance certificate. If you don’t have metering in place, now is the perfect time to install to ensure you’re ready when you should be compliant.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact chris@power-star.co.za or +27 21 975 4529.
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