By With temperatures reaching record highs, many will be wondering how they’ll cope with the heat at work as “too hot to work” Google searches climb rapidly.
Research by property inspection and operations software platform Property Inspect has revealed that around 60% of commercial properties in the UK hold an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with a rating of D or below, placing them at the lower level of energy efficiency.
This is significant in the heat as features like insulation work to regulate heat transfer, meaning buildings stay cool in summer and warm in winter.
With so many buildings not fit for the hot weather, workers across the country could suffer if they’re expected to stay in the office.
While the minimum requirement is an E and properties within the A-E range represent 87% of all properties, D-E is still deemed to be low energy performance by the government’s standards.
Corporate property stock is worst in the West Midlands, where only 37.98% of buildings are high-performing and best in the East of England, where 48.8% of properties have a C or above rating.
| Region | % of EPCs at C+ |
| West Midlands | 37.98% |
| East Midlands | 38.38% |
| Yorkshire | 39% |
| North East | 39.20% |
| North West | 39.42% |
| Wales | 39.92% |
| South West | 41.36% |
| London | 42.11% |
| South East | 45.22% |
| East of England | 48.80% |
Property Inspect’s study analysed each individual local authority in England and Wales to identify the best and worst performers in non-domestic property.
The 10 worst-performing locations for non-domestic properties
| Local Authority | Region | % of EPCs above C |
| Nottingham | East Midlands | 32.52% |
| Conwy | Wales | 32.58% |
| Leicester | East Midlands | 33.11% |
| Dudley | West Midlands | 33.21% |
| Sandwell | West Midlands | 33.43% |
| Darlington | North East | 33.63% |
| Powys | Wales | 33.68% |
| Ceredigion | Wales | 33.84% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | London | 33.87% |
| Torfaen | Wales | 33.93% |
Comment from Warrick Swift, commercial director of Property Inspect:
“Heatwaves are becoming increasingly common in the summer and temperatures are reaching never-before-seen highs across the country.
Business owners and investors need to put in the work to improve the quality of their properties or risk affecting workers’ safety.
With so many businesses now using a hybrid model, issues like this could have an even greater impact on how often commercial buildings like offices are used, further jeopardising investors’ profits.
Consistently, the value and volume of new construction work are double that of repair and maintenance but, as the country aims to reach net zero in less than 10 years, the focus will need to move toward sustainable refurbishment.
The environmental performance of workplaces is vital to creating a more sustainable culture in the UK but a lot more needs to be done in the property industry to ensure we reach our climate goals.”
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