Display Energy Certificates (DECs) were introduced for display on certain public buildings from 1st October 2008. Buildings requiring a DEC must be in excess of 1000 sq m, occupied by either a Public Authority or an Institution providing a public service, and visited by the public. DECs must be provided by a suitably qualified and accredited energy assessor.
Why have DECs been introduced?
Display energy certificates (DECs) have been introduced as part of the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in order to raise public awareness of energy use and to provide the public with energy information about a building they are visiting. It is important that the public service sector leads the way in the campaign to tackle CO2 emissions. DECs show the public how efficiently public service organisations are using energy in their buildings.
What is a Display Energy Certificate?
A DEC shows the energy performance of a building based on its actual annual energy consumption and the CO2 emissions that result from that energy use. This is shown as a rating from A to G, where A has the lowest CO2 emissions (best) and G the highest CO2 emissions (worst). The rating is also shown as a number. A typical building of its type would have a rating of 100. A building with twice the typical CO2 emissions would have a rating of 200 (or G).
A DEC must be accompanied by an Advisory Report (AR) containing recommendations for improvement of the energy performance of the building. The DEC must be renewed every year. The advisory report is valid for seven years.
Buildings may also require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if it is being sold, built or let. The EPC rating shows the performance of the building’s fabric and fixed services. By contrast, the DEC rating shows how well the occupier is using energy within a building and the trend over the last three years.
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