EPC Improvements

CHELMSFORD, ESSEX

The Project

EPC IMPROVEMENTS is a business that provides advice and delivers solutions nationwide to improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial properties. They are trained to work with all types of customers; landlords, tenants or private home owners, to help with accessing government funded grants, meeting the “Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Regulations – (MEES) Regulations”, and reducing the running costs of a property.

The MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) Regulations make it unlawful from April 2018 to let buildings (both commercial and domestic) in England and Wales which do not achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of ‘E’.

The improvement of an EPC rating has a number of benefits for the occupier of a building. By improving the rating, the occupier enjoys the benefits of reduced energy bills and the landlord complies with legislation and increases the value of the property.

The energy reductions that can be achieved with the support of EPC Improvements greatly contribute to the mitigation of climate change, but also help with climate change adaptation. A well-insulated building with energy efficient heating/cooling and lighting is more resilient during weather extremes.

EPC Improvements aim to grow their business by raising awareness of how people and businesses can make improvements in their buildings in order to comply with the new legislation. This will be an opportunity for the business to grow and create more jobs.

Two key measures were identified in order to help EPC Improvements raise awareness on the new legislation: a radio campaign and an Internet campaign.

The purpose of the radio campaign was to raise awareness to a larger audience of the legislation and the services EPC Improvements offers. It will include advertising, interviews and other means of engagement. The internet campaign will be focused on advertising through various search engines and social media and by online capture forms.

The Process

EPC Improvements contacted the LoCASE project via a referral by local radio station Phoenix FM. Once the required quotes were approved, the process moved up a gear. A grant of £10,000 was approved and the company was able to go ahead and engage the successful, chosen companies to initiate the profile raising radio and internet campaigns.

The Outcome

Bringing on-board local Phoenix Radio to run a campaign directed at raising the awareness of the legislation and the services that EPC Improvements offers to a larger market target audience, along with the launch of an internet campaign delivered by the Push Group focussing on advertising through various search engines, social media and online capture forms, the company looks set to raise its profile and to achieve the aims set out at the start of the project.

Testimonial

“The LoCASE Team were very helpful and knowledgeable from day one. Their guidance helped to ensure that we gained a maximum grant of £10,000, enabling us to carry out media campaigns that raised our company profile, which was our aim from the start of the project…an incredible scheme that I would highly recommend to any business owners!”

Daniel Hibberd – Director, EPC Improvements