By: Claudia A. Naidoo-Hedley, sustainability specialist and SANEDI-registered EPC professional
As South Africa continues to navigate the intersecting pressures of climate change, national energy constraints, and evolving global sustainability standards, the built environment stands at the centre of both challenge and opportunity.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), mandated for specific categories of buildings, have rapidly emerged as one of the country’s most influential regulatory instruments, propelling owners, operators, and institutions toward measurable energy responsibility.
With the national deadline of 7 December 2025 remaining firm, the conversation is no longer about whether EPCs matter, but rather what comes next. This article synthesises current national progress, expected regulatory developments, and the practical pathways shaping the next phase of EPC-driven transformation.
Understanding EPCs as a global concept
Energy Performance Certificates are not unique to South Africa. Globally, EPCs form part of established energy transition frameworks across Europe, North America, Germany, Australia, and parts of Asia. Their purpose is universal: to provide an independently verified measure of a building’s energy performance, benchmark it against predefined thresholds, and make this information publicly visible to drive behavioural and operational improvement.
South Africa’s EPC framework draws from the same international principles while integrating country-specific drivers, particularly unreliable energy supply, rising operational costs, and the urgent need to modernise the country’s commercial, institutional, and public-sector building stock. EPCs therefore serve a dual purpose: enhancing national energy resilience and supporting long-term climate alignment.
National progress: tracking South Africa’s EPC journey
A key indicator of progress is the number of EPCs issued nationally. The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI)’s EPC dashboard indicates the national baseline and shows the number of registered EPC professionals who have maintained their issuance presence in the industry, reflecting increased competence and the upskilling of more trained professionals.
The regulatory environment has become clearer, supported by stronger guidance, standardisation, and alignment with the core principles of ISO 17020. SANS 1544:2014 and SANS10400XA:2021, ensuring Registered EPC Professionals maintain independence, consistency, and technical accuracy.
These developments reflect significant progress since the mandate's inception in 2020. Many organisations that once viewed EPCs as compliance-heavy now regard them as strategic tools for energy cost control, asset enhancement, and long-term operational planning.
EPC professionals and quality assurers as industry experts
The EPC landscape depends heavily on technically skilled professionals, those able to interpret building profiles, review consumption data, perform site inspections, validate performance, and align findings with national standards SANS 1544:2014 and SANS 10400 XA:2021. Their responsibilities extend beyond simple certification; they act as interpreters of regulations and technical expertise, providing transparency to the public.
Registered professionals need to undergo continuous training to keep pace with evolving methodologies, data requirements, and policy changes. As the next phase of the EPC framework unfolds, SANEDI and the Department of Energy and Electricity (DEE) will increasingly rely on these skilled professionals to ensure credible oversight.
The future of EPCs is also tied to the rise of quality assurers that have been registered and appointed by the DEE. These professional independent of the registered EPC professional will offer an additional layer of compliance assessment, and their services will become a mandatory cost within the next certification cycle.
What comes next
The initial rollout of EPCs focused on compliance and capturing the national baseline performance. The next phase will shift from “What is the building’s rating?” to “What must we do about it?”
Several technical developments are expected to shape this transition:
1. Larger emphasis on data analytics: EPCs generate standardised datasets that allow building portfolios to be compared, segmented, and analysed. These insights reveal: patterns of energy waste, opportunities for efficiency upgrades, performance anomalies requiring deeper investigation, and trends across building types and geographic regions.
2. ASHRAE-aligned energy audits: There is a growing need for ASHRAE-level audits, particularly for buildings scoring at the lower end of the rating scale (E, F, or G). These energy audits support: identification of high-impact energy-saving interventions, lifecycle planning for equipment upgrades, creating awareness of how energy is used and distributed in a building, and cost-benefit modelling of retrofits.
3. Prioritisation through digital dashboards: Energy and sustainability dashboards are set to become mainstream tools that consolidate: real-time consumption, EPC ratings, portfolio-wide benchmarks, and performance deviations. Decision-makers will use these platforms to prioritise interventions and allocate budgets more effectively.
The 7 December deadline: no extensions, no ambiguity
A key message emerging from the national discourse is that the mandatory compliance deadline will not be extended. The DEE has reaffirmed that: building owners, accounting officers, and organs of state will be held accountable for ensuring EPCs are obtained for all applicable buildings. Non-compliance will trigger enforcement actions and potential penalties, a significant shift that has remained enforced since the early phase of rollout.
This clarity is expected to accelerate certification activity throughout 2025 and beyond, particularly among portfolios that have delayed EPC planning.
The rise of mandatory energy efficiency plans
One of the most impactful developments anticipated in the next cycle is the introduction of mandatory energy efficiency plans. After the first EPC is issued, building owners will be expected to: develop structured improvement plans, use measured data to guide interventions, by the use of smart meters that can profile data, demonstrate progress during the next certification round, and incorporate EPC outcomes into broader sustainability strategies.
This aligns South Africa with global best practice and will encourage long-term operational shifts rather than one-off compliance.
Quality assurance: a new layer of oversight
To uphold credibility and national consistency, the DEE is set to formalise a network of Quality Assurers (QAs). These independent parties will:
- review completed EPCs,
- validate inspection evidence,
- ensure correct application of methodologies, and
- identify any inconsistencies.
Building owners and registered EPC professionals should note that QA services will come at an additional cost, and EPC project budgets will need to factor in this mandatory requirement going forward.
South Africa’s energy future
EPCs are more than a regulatory checkbox; they represent a fundamental shift in how buildings are assessed, valued, and managed. Their broader long-term impact includes:
1. National energy security: EPC-driven improvements can significantly reduce demand on an already strained grid, supporting resilience and reducing operational risk.
2. Capital investment and asset value: Better-performing buildings attract higher occupancy rates, lower utilities expenditure, and increasingly, preferential lending terms tied to green performance.
3. Alignment with global climate commitments: As international markets move toward decarbonisation, South Africa’s EPC system provides a measurable link between environmental goals and building operations.
4. Skills development and sector growth: The EPC ecosystem, comprising engineers, auditors, engineers, architects, graduates, trade-skilled professionals, verification professionals, and sustainability specialists, continues to expand, contributing to national green economy growth.
A turning point for SA’s built environment
South Africa’s EPC programme has matured from an introductory compliance requirement into a central component of the national energy strategy. With clear deadlines, increasing enforcement, and stronger technical oversight, the next 12 to 24 months will define how effectively the country transitions toward more efficient, resilient, and future-ready buildings.
The journey ahead requires collaboration among building owners, registered EPC professionals, public institutions, and regulatory authorities. However, the benefits: reduced operational costs, improved building performance, stronger national energy security, and alignment with global sustainability are more than compelling.
As we enter the next phase, staying informed and engaged will be critical. The future of EPCs is not only about compliance; it is about unlocking meaningful, measurable progress for South Africa’s built environment and its long-term sustainability ambitions.
