How to Improve a Commercial Property EPC Rating

Raising a commercial property's EPC band protects your ability to let it and can cut running costs. This is how to do it efficiently.

Start with the recommendations report

Every EPC lists specific measures with indicative payback. Work through these first, since they are tailored to your building and are evidence for MEES purposes.

The measures that move the needle

• Lighting: switching to LED is often the cheapest quick win.
• Heating: an old boiler or inefficient system is usually the biggest drag on the score. A high-efficiency boiler, or a heat pump, often gives the largest single improvement.
• Insulation and controls: roof and pipework insulation, better heating controls and draught-proofing.
• Solar PV: under the assessment methodology updated in 2025, on-site generation is weighted more favourably, so solar has become a stronger lever than before.

Sequence the work

Commission a fresh EPC first if the current one is old or predates improvements you have already made. Model the measures using the seven-year payback framework to see what is cost-effective, do the work, then reassess before marketing or reletting so the new rating is captured.

Weigh the cost

Use the MEES upgrade calculator to compare the cost of works against the void and penalty risk of an unlettable property. There is currently no dedicated grant scheme for commercial MEES upgrades, so most funding comes from commercial finance or the energy savings themselves.

What improvements raise a commercial EPC the most?

Heating is usually the biggest lever: a high-efficiency boiler or a heat pump. LED lighting is often the cheapest quick win, and solar is weighted more favourably under the updated methodology.

Are there grants for commercial MEES upgrades?

There is currently no dedicated grant scheme for commercial MEES upgrades. Most funding comes from commercial finance or the energy savings themselves.