The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations introduced the requirement for Display Energy Certificates (DECs) in public buildings from the 1st December 2008. From this point a DEC must be prominently displayed in non-domestic public buildings with a gross floor area over 1,000 m2.In the context of these Regulations a public building is one occupied by public authorities or institutions providing public services to large numbers of persons e.g. central Government, local authority, NHS buildings etc. Buildings such as leisure centres, theatres and galleries providing services from public funds will also need a Display Energy Certificate. Recent changes have reduced the requirement to only those buildings which are frequently visited by members of the public.
The Display Energy Certificate differs from the domestic/commercial counterpart in that the certificate incorporates an Asset Rating & Operational Rating, further DEC's are only issued for Public Buildings at this time. The Advisory Report may well specify recommendations to improve the energy efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, the asset owner must retain possession of the report. However it is not currently mandatory to comply with the recommendations made in the advisory report.
Ratings
Asset Rating - means a numerical indicator of the amount of energy estimated to meet the different needs associated with a standardised use of a building, calculated according to the methodology approved by Government.
Operational Rating - means a numeric indicator of the amount of energy consumed during the occupation of the building over a period of 12 months.
The Display Energy Certificate will convey the Operational Rating of the building, indicating its energy efficiency and CO2 emissions on a scale of A to G. The Operational Rating will indicate how well the building is being managed and operated. Display Energy Certificates are based on the building's energy consumption, but estimated consumption data from energy suppliers is acceptable during the initial implementation period.