The position in Dorset
There are 7,218 unique commercial properties in Dorset with a certificate on the Energy Performance of Buildings Register. Of those, 5,373 – 74.4% – are rated below EPC B, which is 1.7 percentage points better than the England and Wales average of 76.1%.
The largest category locally is retail & financial services, and the postal towns and districts most represented are Dorchester, Weymouth, Wimborne, Blandford Forum, Bridport. Average floor area is 362 m² and the average asset rating is 72.
1,396 certificates in the district have expired (19.3% of the total), of which 185 were rated F or G when issued – the least comfortable position on the register, and the one owners are least likely to know about.
Key figures
Band distribution
| Band | Properties | Share | Share, shown as a bar | vs England & Wales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | 45 | 0.6% | +0.3 | |
| A | 381 | 5.3% | +1.2 | |
| B | 1,419 | 19.7% | +0.2 | |
| C | 2,531 | 35.1% | +1.9 | |
| D | 1,786 | 24.7% | -1.0 | |
| E | 803 | 11.1% | -1.8 | |
| F | 110 | 1.5% | -0.4 | |
| G | 143 | 2.0% | -0.5 |
Commercial stock by sector
| Sector | Properties | Share | Share, shown as a bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail & financial services | 2,252 | 31.2% | |
| Offices & workshops | 1,930 | 26.7% | |
| Storage & distribution | 813 | 11.3% | |
| Restaurants, cafes & pubs | 720 | 10.0% | |
| General & special industrial | 641 | 8.9% | |
| Hotels | 200 | 2.8% | |
| Hospitals & care homes | 150 | 2.1% | |
| Assembly & leisure | 123 | 1.7% |
Floor area – who the 2031 standard catches
The 2031 EPC B standard is expected to apply only to buildings over 1,000 m². In Dorset that line falls here:
| Floor area | Properties | Share | Share, shown as a bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 250 m² | 4,757 | 65.9% | |
| 250–500 m² | 1,285 | 17.8% | |
| 500–1,000 m² | 634 | 8.8% | |
| 1,000–2,500 m² | 392 | 5.4% | |
| 2,500–10,000 m² | 148 | 2.1% | |
| Over 10,000 m² | 2 | 0.0% |
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For editors and journalists
Quote – attributable to evenEco
Please attribute to evenEco and link to evenhub.uk/commercial/areas/dorset/. Figures derived from the GOV.UK Energy Performance of Buildings Register, deduplicated to the most recent certificate per property. Media enquiries: contact us.
Shareable summary – Dorset
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Commercial properties analysed | 7,218 |
| Below EPC B | 5,373 (74.4%) |
| Below EPC E – unlettable without exemption | 253 (3.5%) |
| Over 1,000 m² and below EPC B | 344 |
| Expired certificates | 1,396 (19.3%) |
| Average floor area | 362 m² |
| National rank (share below EPC B) | 231 of 319 |
Common questions
How many commercial properties in Dorset are below EPC B?
5,373 of 7,218 – 74.4% of the commercial stock on the register. That is 1.7 percentage points better than the England and Wales average of 76.1%.
How many buildings in Dorset are caught by the 2031 EPC B standard?
344 commercial buildings in Dorset are over 1,000 m² and currently rated below EPC B, which is the cohort the 2031 standard is aimed at.
How many commercial buildings in Dorset are already unlettable?
253 are rated F or G. Letting those without a registered exemption has been unlawful since 1 April 2023. A further 185 have an expired certificate that was rated F or G.
Where does Dorset rank nationally?
231 of 319 local authorities, ranked by the share of commercial stock below EPC B, with rank 1 being the highest share.
Local authorities with a similar profile
Leeds
74.4% below EPC B · 14,394 properties
See the data →Maidstone
74.4% below EPC B · 2,602 properties
See the data →Welwyn Hatfield
74.4% below EPC B · 1,698 properties
See the data →West Lancashire
74.3% below EPC B · 1,824 properties
See the data →Barking and Dagenham
74.2% below EPC B · 2,422 properties
See the data →Melton
74.1% below EPC B · 914 properties
See the data →