Display Energy certificates
Buildings are responsible for almost 50 per cent of
the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions. From
October 2008, as part of the Energy Performance of
Buildings Directive, if you are an occupier of a
building requiring a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) you
will need to display a DEC showing an Operational Rating in a
prominent place clearly visible to the public.
A Display Energy Certificate
(DEC) shows the energy performance of a building based on actual
energy consumption as recorded annually over periods of up to the
last three years (the Operational Rating). A DEC is
valid for one year and must be updated annually.
A DEC must be accompanied by an advisory report and the
owner of the building must have a valid one available. The advisory
report highlights recommendations to improve the energy performance
of the building (i.e. its fabric and associated services such as
heating, ventilation and lighting). An advisory report is
valid for seven years.
Why are display certificates required?
The purpose of introducing Display Energy Certificates (DECs) is
to raise public awareness of energy use and to inform visitors to
public buildings about the energy use of a building. DECs
provide an energy rating of the building from A to G, A being
very efficient and G the least efficient. The ratings are
based on the actual amount of metered energy used by the building
over a period of 12 months.
An affected organisation must display a
DEC in a prominent place clearly visible to the public and have in
its possession or control a valid advisory report. The
advisory report contains recommendations for improving the energy
performance of the building
Which buildings require a display energy certificate?
A DEC and advisory report are required for total useful
floor areas exceeding 1,000m2 that are occupied in whole
or part by public authority institutions providing public services
to a large number of people who frequently visit the
building.
What is an Operational Rating?
The Operational Rating (OR) is a numerical indicator of the
actual annual carbon dioxide emissions from the building. The
various types of energy consumption in an
occupied building must be brought together on a common basis
so that the performance of different buildings can be
compared. The UK has decided that the common unit should be
the amount of CO2 emissions, as this is a key driver for
energy policy.
This rating is shown on a scale from A
to G where A has the lowest CO2 emissions (best) and
G the highest CO2 emissions (worst). Also shown are
the Operational Ratings (OR) for the previous two years. This
provides information on whether the energy performance of the
building is improving or not. The OR must be calculated according
to the methodology approved by the Secretary of State (SoS). This
is done by an accredited energy assessor using a software tool
for the calculation which has been approved by the SoS. This
is available on request from the
Department for Communities and Local Government.
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