Display Energy Certificates

Why Display Energy Certificates are 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, where A is very efficient and G is the least efficient and 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.

The introduction of DECs will for the first time give publicly accessible information on the energy performance of public buildings. It is important not only that the public sector complies but that it is seen to be setting an example. Environmental performance is increasingly important to reputation. Accordingly if there is any doubt over whether a DEC is required, it would be good practice to produce a DEC in any event.

Buildings requiring a Display Energy Certificate

A DEC and advisory report are required for buildings with a total useful floor area over 1,000m2 that are occupied in whole or part by public authorities and by institutions providing public services to a large number of persons and therefore frequently visited by those persons.

Private organisations, including those that may share a building with a relevant institution, do not need to display a DEC, but may elect to do so on a voluntary basis.

When Display Energy Certificates are required

By 1 October 2008 if you are an occupier of a building requiring a DEC, you will need to display a DEC showing an Operational Rating in a prominent place clearly visible to the public.

By 1 October 2008 you will also need to have in your possession or control a valid advisory report.

If you are a new occupier, or have been in occupation for less than 15 months by 1 October 2008, you may not have 12 months of meter readings available that are required for an Operational Rating. The legislation makes provisions for calculation over the period of occupation in these cases and the chart below will help you determine what you need to provide.

What is a Display Energy Certificate?

A Display Energy Certificate shows the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption as recorded annually over periods up to the last three years (the
Operational Rating). 

A DEC is valid for one year and must be updated annually.

Display Energy Certificate

Energy Performance Operational Rating

Obtaining a Display Energy Certificate

Responsibilities for displaying a Display Energy Certificate

Under the legislation it is the responsibility of every occupier of a building affected by these Regulations to:

• Display a valid DEC in a prominent place clearly visible to the public at all times; and
• Have in their possession or control a valid advisory report which conveys recommendations to improve the building’s energy performance. This must be done for each of the buildings affected.

Producing Display Energy Certificates

An energy assessor, accredited to produce display energy certificates for that type of building, is the only person who can produce a DEC and advisory report for your building. 

Firstly the energy consumption data provided will be reviewed by the energy assessor in line with the approved methodology. Under certain conditions, the methodology allows adjustments to be made for longer hours of occupation, variations to weather and climate and allows certain activities to be separated if they are non-typical of the type of building (separable energy uses).

The carbon dioxide emissions for the certificate are based on the adjusted energy consumption and adjusted total useful floor area and building type to give a measured CO2 emission per square metre.

The energy assessor will then use an approved tool to calculate the Operational Rating and produce a DEC and advisory report from the information gathered in line with the approved methodology. The advisory report may entail a site survey or be based on previous knowledge of the building.

For further information please contact Nicholas Ainger on 08451302350 or email nainger@cchi.co.uk