What an EPC measures

An Energy Performance Certificate indicates how much energy a building uses in operation and compares that measured performance with a reference level. It is an operational rating, so it depends on energy data and how the building has actually been used, rather than only the efficiency measures shown on design drawings.

The South African National Energy Development Institute administers the National Building Energy Performance Register. Certificates are issued through accredited inspection bodies under the applicable national standard and the prescribed data and certificate are submitted to SANEDI.

Which buildings are in focus

Official guidance has described the mandatory system as applying to qualifying public buildings over 1,000 square metres and private non-residential buildings over 2,000 square metres, subject to the detailed use, age and operating criteria in the regulations.

Building owners should not make a decision from floor area alone. Confirm the occupancy classification, net floor area, period in operation, exclusions and the current text of the regulations with an accredited provider or responsible authority.

Registration and certification are separate steps

SANEDI’s guidance explains that owners and accounting officers must register the type and size of affected buildings on the National Building Energy Performance Register. The EPC assessment then uses measured consumption data and results in a certificate that must be submitted and displayed as prescribed.

Gathering information can take time. Owners may need utility invoices, meter records, floor-area information, occupancy information and clarity on shared services or mixed uses. Portfolio owners should establish a building register rather than treating each certificate as an isolated emergency.

The published deadline has passed

SANEDI’s current EPC information page records 7 December 2025 as the effective end date following the 2022 extension. That date has now passed. Owners of potentially affected buildings should check their current registration and certification position promptly and use current DMRE and SANEDI notices rather than relying on pre-deadline articles.

The National Energy Act provides the enforcement basis. SANEDI’s guidance warns that non-compliance is an offence and describes potentially severe statutory penalties. The actual response to a particular case requires current legal and regulatory advice.

Use the rating as management information

Compliance is one reason to measure energy performance. The certificate and supporting data can also expose abnormal consumption, weak metering and opportunities for operational or capital improvements.

Start with the official SANEDI EPC portal and list of SANAS-accredited inspection bodies. Confirm the provider’s accreditation scope, agree the data requirements and retain the assessment record. For a large portfolio, assign responsibility for renewals, changes in use and ongoing data quality.

What we will track next

The next record for Energy Performance Certificates for buildings: what owners should verify now should show how approvals, design, inspection and workmanship connect. Drawings and certificates matter, but photographs of concealed work, written instructions, test results and a dated defects list make the project easier to verify.

Owners should keep the signed contract, payment proof, professional appointments, enrolment records where applicable and the final approved plans together. This file becomes most valuable when a leak, crack or service problem appears after occupation.

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