Free tool · SANS 1544 EPC
EPC pre-assessment tool. Know your grade first.
Estimate your building’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) grade instantly, before committing to an official audit by a SANAS-accredited inspection body. Four inputs, the official reference values, and the workings shown.
Indicative EPC grade · SANS 1544
Enter your building details and select Calculate grade to see where your building sits on the A to G scale.
Energy performance scale
Bands as multiples of the reference energy performance (Er). Grade D is best practice.
Want a follow-up assessment? Email the EPC team at epc@greenbdgafrica.com. Your downloaded report includes these contact details.
Show the workings: reference values, scale and sources
Energy performance = annual energy consumption (grid electricity + diesel generation + solar PV generation used on site, in kWh) ÷ net floor area (m²). That figure is divided by the reference energy performance (Er) for your occupancy class and energy zone, and the multiple is placed on the A to G scale below. Reference values are from SANS 10400-XA:2021 Table 1, as applied by SANEDI’s EPC guideline (kWh/m²/a).
| Zone | G1-M | G1-P | A3-U | A3-S | A2 | A1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 90 | 70 | 110 | 60 | 95 | 75 |
| 2 | 105 | 150 | 155 | 65 | 95 | 75 |
| 3 | 110 | 190 | 110 | 55 | 110 | 95 |
| 4 | 95 | 145 | 125 | 60 | 90 | 70 |
| 5 | 110 | 180 | 140 | 55 | 110 | 95 |
| 5H | 95 | 165 | 140 | 60 | 110 | 95 |
| 6 | 100 | 75 | 120 | 65 | 105 | 80 |
| 7 | 100 | 75 | 120 | 65 | 105 | 80 |
G1-M: multi-storey offices, banks and consulting rooms with lifts. G1-P: stand-alone office blocks or office-park campuses that operate separately. A3-U: universities and colleges. A3-S: schools. A1: entertainment and public assembly (non-sedentary).
Scale used (multiple of Er): A below 0.30, B 0.30–0.60, C 0.60–0.90, D 0.90–1.10, E 1.10–1.40, F 1.40–1.70, G 1.70 and above. It reproduces every worked example in SANEDI’s EPC guideline (1.1×, 1.12× and 1.3× = E; 2.6× and 5.8× = G).
Caveats: this is an indicative screen, not a certificate. An official EPC normalises the floor area for unoccupied space, converts non-electrical fuels to kWh on a thermal-equivalence basis, accounts for exclusions, and is issued only by a SANAS-accredited inspection body using verified data.
Get your pre-assessment as a report
We will email your indicative grade with the reference value cited, the reduction needed to reach grade D, and what an official EPC for this building involves.
FAQ
EPC questions, answered properly
How is an EPC grade calculated in South Africa?
Add the building’s grid electricity, diesel generation and on-site solar PV generation over 12 months (kWh), divide by its net floor area to get kWh/m²/a, then divide that by the reference energy performance (Er) for its occupancy class and energy zone in SANS 10400-XA:2021. The resulting multiple is placed on the seven-grade SANS 1544 scale, from A (highest performance) to G (lowest). Grade D is the reference, or best practice.
Which buildings need an EPC?
Privately owned buildings over 2,000 m² of net floor area, and buildings owned, occupied and operated by an organ of state over 1,000 m², in occupancy classes A1 (entertainment and public assembly), A2 (theatrical and indoor sport), A3 (places of instruction) and G1 (offices). The certificate must be displayed at the building entrance and lodged with SANEDI.
What should I include in annual energy consumption?
All energy carriers used by the building over 12 consecutive months, including tenant consumption that is metered and billed separately. Include electricity from on-site diesel generators and solar PV generation used on site, alongside grid electricity, because the building consumes all of it. Deduct any solar PV exported to the grid. Your assessor confirms the fuel conversions and any exclusions in the official calculation.
Why does my building have mixed occupancy?
If parts of the building serve different occupancy classes, for example offices above a conference venue, SANS 1544 requires an area-weighted reference value and, ideally, sub-metering for each occupancy. This tool assumes a single occupancy class, so treat its result as a first screen and ask an assessor to run the area-weighted calculation.
How accurate is this pre-assessment?
It uses the official reference values, so it is a reliable first indication when your inputs are right. The official grade can differ because the assessor normalises floor area for unoccupied space, verifies the net floor area on site, and converts fuels such as gas or diesel to kWh. Only a SANAS-accredited inspection body can issue the certificate.
What happens if my building scores E, F or G?
There is no minimum grade in the current regulations: the obligation is to obtain, display and submit a valid certificate. A poor grade is still a signal to tenants, lenders and investors, and the metered savings that improve it can qualify for the Section 12L deduction at 95 cents per verified kWh.
A pre-assessment points. A certificate proves.
Our experienced EPC Data Analysts, working through a SANEDI-accredited EPC Professionals and Tier 1 EsCO, verify your net floor area and twelve months of metered data, issue the certificate and lodge it on the national register.