£3m fund to help pubs’ energy costs from Heineken

The EPC (energy performance certificates) sustainability support scheme hopes to help licensees make sustainable changes by working with an independent energy consultancy.

Heineken, which operates the Star Pubs & Bars pub company, said the move comes after new legislation requires commercial premises, including hospitality venues, to reach an EPC rating of C from April 2027 and B in April 2030 with non-compliant outlets potentially receiving a fine of up to £150,000.

Never been more important​

The EPC audit outlines areas for improvement, estimated cost, rating impact and payback time to move towards legislation compliance.

Heineken interim on-trade director Will Rice said: “Faced with rising costs, the need to reduce energy usage and be more efficient has never been more important for pubs and bars, and we want to play a part in supporting operators to be more sustainable.”

Not an easy task​

He continued: “The launch of this fund will help make those improvements and drive efficiencies. We appreciate, however, that this is not an easy task and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, so this initiative is important to help our customers make sustainable changes.”

The independent consultancy provides EPC audits and certification, which are now mandatory every 10 years. After an initial assessment, consultants work with each pub to identify the lowest-cost options that will have the biggest impact whilst minimising disruptions in the day-to-day running of each pub.

Heineken added: “At a time when publicans are under pressure to reduce both their running costs and carbon footprint, these simple, no or low-cost changes can make a big difference, with many reinvesting savings into bigger initiatives.”