A industrial constructing that receives the best ranking in a single nation might obtain a grade as much as 4 locations decrease in one other, Savills present in its Impacts analysis programme.
The dearth of standardisation in vitality labelling may even range even inside international locations.
In Belgium, the identical vitality efficiency (measured in kWh/m²/12 months) would obtain a ‘C’ ranking in Flanders however a ‘D’ or ‘F’ in Brussels, attributable to stricter ranking thresholds within the Brussels-Capital Area.
Requirements for major vitality consumption in ‘A’-rated places of work throughout Europe additionally range, leading to buildings that might obtain a grade of ‘A’ in some international locations solely receiving a ‘D’ or ‘E’ in others.
Chris Cummings, director of Savills Earth, mentioned: “The dearth of standardisation in vitality labelling throughout the EU, and the UK which additionally makes use of EPC as its important measure of constructing efficiency, illustrates a wider international drawback for cross-border buyers and tenants in understanding what constitutes a ‘good’ constructing: if even throughout the identical bloc there’s disparities, how can they evaluate throughout even wider geographies resembling APAC or the US?
“Ideally, buyers and occupiers ought to look past the headline EPC grade to look at a constructing’s precise vitality knowledge to get a real image of its relative efficiency.
“In the event that they don’t, they run the danger of excluding buildings which have acquired a decrease ranking in international locations which exert a ‘harder’ EPC regime, as they don’t fulfil their sustainability aims, solely to go on to take a constructing out of the country which has the next grade, however in the end is a poorer performer.”
Whereas the EU is implementing a revised Power Efficiency of Buildings Directive (EPBD) which ought to carry international locations inside its jurisdiction extra into line, Savills mentioned there are more likely to nonetheless be discrepancies inside particular person international locations as native political sensitivities, technical challenges, local weather dangers and the character of current constructing inventory imply that sustainability requirements range significantly from one metropolis to a different.
Sarah Brooks, affiliate director, Savills World Analysis, mentioned: “Metropolis-level variations in sustainability requirements can once more current distinct challenges and alternatives for occupiers and buyers.
“They need to account for variations in native coverage, market expectations and obtainable incentives of their methods.
“Gaining a aggressive edge typically means exceeding nationwide necessities in addition to aligning with city-level expectations and long-term native sustainability plans. Nuanced due diligence is significant.”
