Ok the UK have EPCs whats everyone else have?

I have been having a look online today to see what is other countries are doing to reduce the carbon footprint.

I have found that on average, every American is responsible for about 22 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year, according to statistics compiled by the United Nations but there is no EPC or similar type of survey in the US according to my searches.

I looked at several other countries to see what they had that was similar to the EPC and again couldn't find anything. Maybe it is the way I am searching or the words I put in the search engine but surely other countries should have something similar to the EPC to help reduce the carbon footprint of commercial and domestic properties.

I only hope that if they do take up the EPC in USA and other countries that they put a cap on the training providers! And I can always hope that I might get invited over to demonstrate the value of the EPC!

An update......EU directives and a quango

"A recent study conducted by a quango, the Energy Saving Trust, found most properties could be improved to meet current green energy standards for less than £3,000. The same study also claimed 70% of property buyers would negotiate a property’s price if they discovered it was not energy efficient"

£3,000 is not much when you consider the cost of your energy bills over a 5 year period, and if the study is correct with regards to 70% of buyers negotiating on a propertys price if its not energy efficent it is a good idea to look at the EPC when you buy a property and spend the time and money updating the property according to the recommendations so that when you sell the property it is more energy efficent.

"An EU Directive will make it compulsory for energy efficiency ratings to be published in all UK homes ‘for sale’ advertisements, including on For Sale boards, from 2012, it has been claimed"

So this will delay first day marketing as at the moment vendors and landlords have 28 days to get the EPC on their property. Personally I don't think this is a bad thing, I work on a 24hour turnaround and so if I receive an order on a monday I do my very best to have the EPC back with the client by tuesday. Therefore for my clients there should be little to no delay for the marketing.

It has also been suggested that the Government is considering charging buyers of properties with poor EPCs a premium on Stamp Duty. There are lots of grants available to enable you to make a property more energy efficent and by the sounds of it now is definately the time to be looking into those.