Government has confirmed its intention that from 2031, privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 m² in England and Wales should reach EPC B where cost-effective, while retaining flexibility and exemptions. It is important to describe this accurately: this is policy direction and proposed implementation, not a currently operative universal legal obligation.
Where electrical work sits in a commercial retrofit
Energy performance improvement is usually delivered as a package of measures across fabric, services and controls. The electrical contribution is consistently among the earliest and most cost-effective, which is why it tends to appear at the front of programmes rather than the end.
- LED lighting replacement across offices, warehouses, retail and common parts
- Lighting controls, daylight dimming, occupancy and absence detection
- Sub-metering, energy monitoring and reporting infrastructure
- BMS installation, upgrade and recommissioning
- Electrical works and controls associated with HVAC replacement and electrification
- Solar PV and, where appropriate, battery storage
- EV charging infrastructure and supply capacity work
- Power quality, distribution and small power improvements identified during survey
The building types involved
Offices and multi-let business space, warehouses and logistics units, retail units and shopping centres, industrial premises, hospitality and leisure assets, and mixed commercial estates. Many are managed by agents or FM providers on behalf of landlords, which means the appointing decision usually sits with a property or facilities professional rather than the occupier.
A multi-year market to prepare for
It would be dishonest to present this as guaranteed volume. What is reasonable to say is that a stated policy direction of this kind, applied to larger privately rented non-domestic stock, tends to produce a sustained programme of surveys, planned upgrades and phased works over several years — and that the contractors positioned within managed-property supply chains are the ones asked to price them.
Electrical requirements are already coming through Regency, and we are expanding vetted contractor coverage now so suitable firms are visible to those clients ahead of the wider 2026–27 compliance cycle.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
- Is EPC B for commercial buildings a legal requirement now?
- No. Government has confirmed its intention and proposed implementation for privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 m² in England and Wales to reach EPC B where cost-effective from 2031, retaining flexibility and exemptions.
- Which buildings are in scope of the proposal?
- Privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 m² in England and Wales, subject to cost-effectiveness, flexibility and exemptions.
- Why does a 2031 target affect contractors now?
- Because commercial landlords plan and budget capital works over multi-year cycles, so surveys, specifications and phased upgrade programmes begin well before a target date.
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