The evidence pack
Work through this before you book anything. Every item that exists removes an assumption.
| Document | Where it usually lives | What it settles |
|---|---|---|
| Construction drawings and specification | Original build file, architect, Land Registry-era conveyancing pack | Wall, roof and floor construction |
| U-value calculations | Building control file, Part L compliance pack | Fabric performance |
| Air permeability test certificate | O&M manual, building control completion file | Infiltration rate |
| Cavity fill guarantee or invoice | Refurbishment records, CIGA guarantee | Wall insulation |
| Lighting schedule and product data | Fit-out contractor, M&E consultant | Lighting efficacy and controls |
| Boiler / chiller commissioning certificates | O&M manual, maintenance contractor | Plant seasonal efficiency |
| Manufacturer performance data | Plant nameplate, model number, supplier | Efficiency figures |
| BMS schematics and points list | Controls contractor, FM provider | Credit for controls strategy |
| AHU commissioning and SFP data | O&M manual | Ventilation performance |
| Refurbishment history with dates | Asset file, service charge records | Which age-band defaults are wrong |
How to run it
- Pull the current certificate and note every element likely to carry a default. Look it up.
- Raise the file. O&M manuals, building control completion, refurbishment records, the M&E contractor, the FM provider. Ask the maintenance contractor for plant model numbers if nothing else survives.
- Index it against the elements it settles, so the assessor is not reading a box of paper.
- Hand it over at the start of the visit, not afterwards. An assessor who has the evidence before modelling does not have to enter a default and revisit it.
- Walk the building with them and point out what is not visible – the plant replaced last year, the insulation above the suspended ceiling, the zoning that was added.
- Keep the pack. It serves the next assessment, any exemption bundle, and due diligence.
What an assessor can and cannot do
An accredited assessor cannot enter a value they have not seen or been shown. They are not being obstructive when they record a default – they are applying the conventions, and departing from them is what gets certificates audited and withdrawn.
Which is also why "find a more helpful assessor" is not a strategy. Two competent assessors given the same evidence reach materially the same rating. Change the evidence, not the assessor.
We can do this part for you
evenEco's assessors gather the evidence, identify the assumptions worth attacking, and carry out the assessment – so the model describes the building you actually own.
Common questions
Will a new assessment automatically give me a better rating?
No. It will give you an accurate rating. That is better than a cautious one only if the caution was unwarranted – which is why the evidence gathering comes first and the assessment second.
Can I have a second EPC done if I do not like the first?
You can commission a new assessment at any time, and the most recent valid certificate is the operative one. But shopping for a better number without new evidence does not work, and lodging certificates you then ignore leaves a visible trail on the register.
How long does the evidence gathering take?
For a single building with a reasonable O&M manual, days. For a building bought second-hand with no handover file, it can take weeks and may involve going back to the previous owner or the contractor.