Free tool · SANS 1544 and SANS 10400-XA
Know your grade before the assessor does.
Three numbers from your utility bills are enough to place your building against South African benchmarks and estimate the EPC grade that would hang at your entrance. The grading scale is the real one from SANS 1544, not a marketing approximation.
Indicative EPC grade
Energy use intensity vs SA office benchmarks
Closing the gap to good practice would be worth about R 0 a year in energy costs and Section 12L deductions on this building.
Get the real numberShow the workings: benchmarks, grading scale and sources
Verified July 2026. The EPC estimate applies the SANS 1544:2014 grading scale to the SANS 10400-XA:2021 reference for your class and zone. A real EPC needs 12 months of verified data on net floor area, assessed by a SANEDI-accredited body.
| Reference | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| SANS 10400-XA:2021 office reference (Er) | 90–110 kWh/m²/a by zone | SANS 10400-XA:2021 Table 1 |
| EPC grade bands | A <0.3·Er · D 0.9–1.1·Er · G ≥1.7·Er | SANS 1544:2014 via SANEDI EPC Guideline V3 (2024) |
| Measured SA office average EUI | 167.6 kWh/m²/a | MSCI/IPD SA Green Property Index (2017, vacancy-normalised) |
| GBCSA national commercial benchmark | 219 kWh/m²/a | GBCSA benchmark study (2012) |
| Office water average | 0.8 kl/m²/a (Green Star stock 0.6) | MSCI/IPD (2017) |
| Grid carbon factor (incl. losses) | 0.99 kgCO2e/kWh | DFFE 2023 Grid Emission Factors Report |
| EPC scope and penalty | A1/A2/A3/G1 · ≥2 000 m² · R 5 M / 5 yrs | GN R.1261 (2020); National Energy Act |
| Section 12L deduction | 95c/kWh verified savings | Income Tax Act s12L |
Caveats: measured averages are 2017 vintage (pre-loadshedding, pre-PV boom) and indicative; hotel and industrial bands carry lower confidence; hours of use are not normalised here; retail and industrial buildings are outside the current EPC display regulations.
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We will email your building's position against every band, the indicative EPC maths shown step by step, and what certification would involve for your portfolio.
FAQ
Benchmark and EPC questions
How are EPC grades calculated in South Africa?
Under SANS 1544, your building’s measured energy use per square metre of occupied net floor area is divided by the SANS 10400-XA reference value for its occupancy class and climate zone. A grade D means 0.9 to 1.1 times the reference, which is best practice. A is below 0.3 times, and G is 1.7 times or more. Because the reference reflects best practice rather than stock average, a typical older office of around 170 kWh/m²/a grades F or G.
Which buildings must display an EPC?
Privately owned buildings over 2,000 m² net floor area, and state buildings over 1,000 m², in occupancy classes A1, A2, A3 and G1 (offices), that are at least two years old. The certificate must be displayed at the entrance and submitted to SANEDI, and it is valid for five years. The deadline of 7 December 2025 has passed, so non-displaying buildings are non-compliant now.
Is there a minimum EPC grade I must achieve?
No. The current obligation is to display and submit the certificate, whatever the grade. But the grade hangs at your front door, and the market reads it: MSCI data shows green-certified offices carry lower vacancy (11.1% versus 14.8%) and better cost-to-income ratios than uncertified stock.
What is a good energy intensity for a South African office?
Measured SA office stock averages around 167 kWh/m²/a. Below 150 is good, below 100 is excellent and approaching net-zero territory, and above 220 is poor, exceeding the GBCSA national benchmark of 219. The SANS 10400-XA reference for a large Johannesburg office is 90 kWh/m²/a.
How accurate is this benchmark?
It is an indicative screen, not a certificate. A real EPC uses twelve months of verified data on net floor area, excludes parking and storerooms, prorates vacancy and must be issued by a SANEDI-accredited body. Treat a poor indicative grade as a reason to measure properly, and a good one as a head start worth certifying.
An indicative grade is a warning. A certificate is compliance.
If this screen puts your building anywhere near E, F or G, the next step is a SANEDI-registered assessment before enforcement finds you. If it grades well, certify it and put the evidence at your front door.