News analysis DECs
Sizing up the cost
Doubts have
been cast over
Shutterstock
EU plans to
extend the scope
of rules on energy
certifi cates for
buildings.
Carina Bailey
reports
■
The European Commission’s
(EC) intention to extend
the application of Display Energy
Certifi cates (DEC) to smaller
buildings has failed to gain the
support of the UK government in
England and Wales.
First adopted in 2003, the Energy
Performance of Buildings Directive
(EPBD) is designed to tackle climate
The EU wants to reduce the size of
change by reducing the amount of
public buildings that are required to
carbon produced by buildings. In
have Display Energy Certifi cates
late 2008, the EC put forward a draft
recast of the EPBD that would have minded” to support changes to 16 of the proposals. Signifi cantly, size. The current proposal in the
the effect of extending the directive’s DECs, it has largely welcomed the there are three key EC intentions recast would see DECs required in
scope and clarifying certain aspects EC’s proposals, describing them identifi ed as requiring “further frequently visited public buildings
of it. as having “considerable merit”. consideration” by DCLG because it that are larger than 250 sq m. The
The UK government has According to the DCLG’s response, believes the costs of implementing proposal also reiterates the need
now issued its own response to the UK already has, or intends to, go these may outweigh the benefi ts. for Energy Performance Certifi cates
the recast, and has launched a further than many of the changes Expanding the scope of DECs falls (EPCs) to be issued on the sale, rent
consultation into its position on suggested in the recast to cut under this category. or construction of a building. EPCs
the proposals to gain the views of carbon emissions from buildings. would also have to be displayed in
professionals within the building There are 26 proposals listed in DECs all advertisements issued for the
services sector. total in the consultation document, In the existing directive, DECs are sale or rent of a building.
Although the Department with DCLG seeking industry-wide only required for public buildings However, according to the DCLG
of Communities and Local views on half of these, although frequently visited by the public consultation document, expanding
Government (DCLG) says it is “not it has pledged to support about that are more than 1,000 sq m in the scope of DECs would increase
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14 CIBSE Journal September 2009 www.cibsejournal.com
CIBSEsep09 pp14-15 newsanalysis.indd 14 21/8/09 14:16:33
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