According to the government: "MEPS have the potential to be transformational in respect of the existing commercial building stock, provided they are implemented in a way which is sensitive to the rights and responsibilities of owners and occupiers, but a number of issues remain to be addressed."
Why is the government introducing MEPS?
The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, through the Energy Act of 2011, is required to implement regulations to raise energy efficiency standards for rentable properties. This includes commercial leases.
Who is exempt from MEPS?
Leases of longer than 99 years or less than six months will be exempt. There are some other possible exemptions, but keep in mind that these new regulations are still subject to change. The government stated in a consultation that a landlord would not be required to make changes only if they would not be “cost-effective.”
How will MEPS affect me?
MEPS will affect the landlord or the tenant in different ways:
Tenant
Your landlord may need to do some significant heating, ventilation or air conditioning (HVAC) work to bring your leased building up to standard. 361 Degrees are experts in working in occupied offices and can minimise the disruption to your business.
Landlord
Landlords will need to set aside the costs of upgrading their buildings. Over the next few decades building regulations will only tighten and a well-designed, efficient HVAC system will future-proof your building and provide quick payback due to reduced costs.
Energy Controls: A Potential Alternative
Energy controls that can balance all of your building's energy consumption can reduce the need for large scale renovation, providing a cost-effective solution to MEPS requirements. As with all our projects, a Technical Consultant will discuss every option (including installation, upgrade and repair possibilities) to make sure you get the best possible solution for your heating, ventilation or air conditioning project.
Further Reading
