FAQ

Ecograde™ is an AI-powered property analysis platform that helps anyone with a property or living within a property understand the energy performance of it. To begin an Ecograde assessment, you complete a short survey followed by an upload section. It will ask for a few key things, like photographs of the property, 1–3 months of recent energy bills, and either a floor plan or a simple overview of the layout (this can be drawn by you if a formal plan isn’t available). Ecograde™ analyses hundreds of data points from these inputs, similar to many of the indicators a property surveyor would review during an assessment. The system then generates detailed insights into the property’s energy performance. It highlights potential issues, identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, and if moving forward with the final paid plan, will point you towards relevant grants, financing options and trusted UK government-approved installers or retrofit professionals available in your area.

To begin an Ecograde assessment, you complete a short survey followed by an upload section. It will ask for a few key things, like photographs of the property, 1–3 months of recent energy bills, and either a floor plan or a simple overview of the layout (this can be drawn by you on the portal if a formal plan isn’t available). Useful images include: exterior views of the property, windows and glazing, heating systems or radiators, loft or roof areas, and interior rooms and walls. Clear, well-lit images help the system provide better insights.

No, you do not need an existing Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to use Ecograde. Ecograde can analyse your property using the information you provide, including images, layout details and recent energy usage. From this, the platform generates early insights into how efficiently the property may be performing and where improvements could be made. If an EPC already exists for the property, Ecograde can help you better understand the recommendations within that certificate and explore additional improvement opportunities that may not be fully detailed in the original survey. For example, many EPCs are several years old. If your EPC is six or more years old and you have carried out improvements since it was issued, Ecograde can take those changes into account and provide an estimate of the property’s likely current EPC performance. The platform also allows you to explore how further upgrades — such as insulation improvements or heating system changes — could potentially affect the property’s EPC rating band.

Most assessments take only a few minutes after all images and documents are uploaded. The system analyses the visual features of the property and generates an energy performance insight report. Depending on the number of images submitted, detailed reports may take slightly longer to process.

Ecograde looks at the key areas that influence energy efficiency: roof and loft insulation, wall construction and insulation, windows and glazing, heating systems, hot water, ventilation, lighting, property dimensions and layout, and solar or renewable energy potential.

It's an estimate, and your report shows how close it's likely to be. We checked our estimates against one qualified assessor, using photos and basic details like the home's age, type and heating. On the latest 25 homes our score was 8.6 points away on average, the band matched on 14, and it was within one band on all 25. Across all 85 homes the average gap was 7.6 points, the band matched on 41, and it was within one band on 83. Those runs used earlier versions of our analysis, and we haven't re-tested the current one. Most of the homes were rated C or D, so it tells us less about others. We tended to rate the best homes too highly and D-rated homes too low. Your results show a likely range around your grade, and what we could and couldn't confirm. Only an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor can give you an official EPC.

No. Ecograde does not replace an official Energy Performance Certificate assessment. An EPC must be carried out by an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor who conducts an in-person inspection and calculates the rating using government-approved methods. Ecograde is designed to provide early insight into energy performance before any formal assessment is conducted.

Several factors influence EPC ratings, including insulation levels in walls, roofs and floors, window efficiency and glazing type, heating systems and controls, hot water systems, building age and construction type, and renewable technologies such as solar panels. Improving these elements can increase a property’s EPC rating.

In the UK, you can search for a property’s Energy Performance Certificate using the government EPC register, alternatively you can use our free EPC checker at ecograde.ai/epc-checker — just enter your postcode and select your address.

EPC ratings range from A to G. Generally: A–B indicates very high energy efficiency, C is considered good for many homes, D is around the national average, and E–G indicates lower efficiency and possible need for upgrades. Many government policies increasingly encourage homes to reach a rating of C or above.

It's the span your score is likely to fall in, given what we could confirm. It's narrower when a current EPC backs up your photos, and wider when we couldn't confirm things like your wall or loft insulation. It's our own rule of thumb, not a statistical guarantee, and the real figure can fall outside it.

Observed is what we read from your photos, took from the EPC register, or you told us. Inferred is what that suggests, or what we assumed from your home's age and type. Needs checking is what a camera can't settle, which takes an answer from you or a professional.

No. They treat your whole home as one room at a fixed outside temperature, and many inputs may be assumed. A heat pump needs a room-by-room calculation for your location from an MCS-certified installer. We also have no test data for heat loss, so we don't claim any accuracy for it.

Schemes open and close. We only show schemes that are open today for your part of the UK, and we say when one is about to end. For example, the Home Upgrade Grant closed in March 2025 and the Great British Insulation Scheme closed on 31 March 2026. A match means you could qualify, not that you will get it.

Ecograde highlights potential energy efficiency improvements based on the features visible in your uploaded images and the survey information you provide. Suggestions may include insulation improvements, window upgrades, heating system improvements, draught reduction, and other efficiency measures. These insights help property owners identify areas where energy performance could be improved.

Yes. Ecograde can help landlords, property investors and developers understand the energy efficiency potential of a property. The platform can assist with identifying potential upgrade opportunities, assessing properties before purchase, understanding possible EPC improvements, and planning retrofit projects. This helps property owners make more informed investment and renovation decisions.

Energy performance measures how efficiently a property uses energy for heating, lighting and hot water. More energy efficient homes typically use less energy, cost less to heat, produce fewer carbon emissions, and provide improved health and comfort for occupants. In the UK and some European countries, energy performance is also regulated through EPC ratings which influence property sales and lettings.

Older homes can sometimes have lower energy efficiency because they were built before modern insulation standards were introduced. However, many older properties can be improved through upgrades such as improved insulation, better glazing and modern heating systems. With the right improvements, older homes can achieve strong energy performance.

The most common way to measure energy efficiency in the UK is through an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC provides a rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and includes recommendations for improving efficiency. Tools like Ecograde can also provide early insights into a property’s potential energy performance by analysing visible features.

Yes. We use enterprise-grade encryption for all data transmission and storage. Your photos and personal information are never shared with third parties and are protected by our strict privacy policy, fully compliant with UK GDPR requirements.