Scotland: S63 Action Plans
Section 63 Action Plans
Requirements under Section 63 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act
Section 63 Action Plans
Region: Scotland
An introduction to Section 63 Action Plans
In addition to an EPC being required, from 1st September 2016, regulations require the assessment and improvement of non-domestic buildings with a total Gross Internal Area greater than 1,000 sq m.
A Section 63 Action Plan identifies opportunities for carbon and energy performance improvement, as well as outlining how these could be carried out through physical improvements to the property.
As with the Energy Performance Certificate, the Action Plan must be available to prospective buyers or tenants and provided to the new owner or tenant.
For buildings larger than 1,000 sq m, a S63 Action Plan may be required in addition to an EPC
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RegionScotland
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Size+1,000 sq m GIA
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BuiltPre-2002
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TargetEPC rating equivalent to 2002 standard
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Whats requiredAn Action Plan will outline a target energy & CO2 saving
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Timescale3 1/2 years
Types of S63 Action Plan
Prescriptive Action Plan
The Prescribed Measures Action Plan, is a list based on the Scottish Government’s priorities for improving existing buildings. There are seven specific suggested improvements and these include: Heating controls, lighting controls to manual and photoelectric switching, envelope improvements, DHW improvements, lighting upgrades, heating boiler upgrades, and roof insulation.
The above improvements are generated generically based on the EPC model and do not consider the feasibility of the improvements or cost constraints.
Alternative Action Plan
The Alternative Action Plan is a tailored approach designed to ensure the building achieves the desired energy target rating. This type of Action plan involves more work upfront but may allow for a more flexible and cost-effective approach while still reducing carbon emissions.
The Action Plan will set an improvement target for Energy & CO2
EPC and S63 Action Plan services
We are accredited and registered Section 63 Advisors and can provide a Action Plan and Action Plan report with advice on how to best implement measures to identify the energy and CO2 targets. Section 63 Advisors are non-domestic EPC Assessors who have undertaken further training in the Action Plan assessment software and can provide building-specific advice on energy efficiency improvements.
Frequently asked questions about S63 Action Plans
Once the Action Plan has been agreed upon with your Section 63 Advisor, you will have 42 months to complete the improvements outlined in the Action Plan.
The requirement to improve a building can be delayed by electing to report on energy usage annually. This is done by lodging a Display Energy Certificate (DEC), which reports on the measured energy use. The DEC must be lodged annually until the action plan improvements are implemented.
Section 63 Action Plans and DECs should be lodged with the Scottish EPC Register and must be made available to prospective buyers or tenants legally. An Action Plan is not legal until it is lodged on the central government register.
Once the improvements have been completed, a new EPC and Action Plan are created. These are lodged onto the Scottish Central Register to confirm that the building meets the required regulations.
A sub-let or assignation is not considered a new lease. Section 63 exempt transactions for Action Plans means the lease of a building on a short term lease (12 weeks or less), the sale or lease of a building or building unit at any time before the construction of that building or building unit has been completed or the renewal of an existing lease with the same tenant.
Climate Change Act Scotland 2009 (Section 63) and The Assessment of Energy Performance of Non-Domestic Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2016
Why force building owners to carry out actual improvements?
Research in 2014 conducted by Consumer Focus shows that only 17% of those who have received an Energy Performance Certificate have acted on the recommendations.
EPCs were introduced to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions and partly a lack of action by building owners has required mandatory improvements to be made.
Buildings that are exempt from S63 Action Plans
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Buildings with a floor area less than 1,000 sq m
Exempt
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Buildings that meet the equivalent of the 2002 Scottish building standard
Exempt
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Temporary buildings with an intended life of 2 years
Exempt
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Workshops and arricultural buildings meeting the 'low energy demand rule'
Exempt
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Buldings participatings in the Green Deal scheme
Exempt
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Prisons and young offender institutions
Exempt
The maximum permitted timescale for the
improvement works is to be 42 weeks from date of
the action plan being issued. An action plan may,
with the approval of the owner of the building or
building unit, specify alternative improvement
measures.
The energy performance data relating to the action
plan must be lodged with the register before the
action plan is made available to a prospective buyer
or a prospective tenant.
Image by Metro Commercial Ltd
