MEES moves forward - with more time to get there

The Government’s latest update gives commercial property owners and developers a clearer and more workable route to higher EPC standards

After years of waiting, the market now has a clearer view on where commercial MEES is heading. The Government’s interim response keeps the long-term plan in place but gives owners and developers more time to prepare. For many, that extra breathing room will matter. Upgrade costs remain, funding still needs to be found and stock will still need to adapt. The difference now is that planning can be done with a firmer timetable in mind. Sarah Milne shares her thoughts on what the update means for the market.

After 5 years, we finally have some clarity on commercial MEES.

The Government’s interim response largely does what the market expected — pushes timing out, but keeps the overall direction intact.

Full details here.

Key points:

• EPC B by 2031 for assets over 1,000 sqm

• No interim EPC C requirement in 2027

• Smaller assets stay at EPC E for now

This isn’t a rollback, just a more workable timetable.

There’s still a significant amount of capital to deploy over the next few years — the difference now is slightly more time to plan and execute properly.