Display & Commercial Energy Certificates
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Read more about Commercial & Display Energy Performance Certificates below.
What is a Display Energy Certificate?
Source: Department Finance Personnel NI, Government Websites
“Display Energy Certificates (DECs) show the actual energy usage of a building (the Operational Rating) and help the public see the energy efficiency of a building. This is based on the energy consumption of the building as recorded by gas, electricity and other meters. The Display Energy Certificate should be displayed at all times in a prominent place clearly visible to the public. A Display Energy Certificate is always accompanied by an Advisory Report that lists cost effective measures to improve the energy rating of the building.
Display Energy Certificates are only required for buildings with a total useful floor area greater than 1,000 m2 that are occupied by a public authority or an institution providing a public service to a large number of people, and are frequently visited by members of the public. Display Energy Certificates are valid for one year. The accompanying Advisory Report is valid for 7 years.
The requirement to obtain and display a DEC in Northern Ireland will come into effect on 30th December 2008.
Where a building is partly occupied by a public authority or a relevant institution, the authority or institution is responsible for displaying a DEC and having a valid advisory report. Other private organisations occupying the building, irrespective of the size they occupy, do not need to display a DEC.
Although multiple small buildings on a campus where each building is less than 1,000 m2 are excluded, if these buildings are linked to one another by a heated space or are served by the same heating or cooling system then a Display Energy Certificate is required. The energy consumption for each separate building or each group of linked buildings with total useful floor area exceeding 1,000 m2, will then be derived by proportioning on the basis of floor area”.
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The Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB)
Source: Department Finance Personnel NI, Government Websites
New measures to improve the energy performance of buildings in Northern Ireland
“Our buildings are responsible for almost 50% of the UK’s energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Even comparatively minor changes in the energy performance of and the way we use each building would have a significant effect in reducing energy consumption, and hence, carbon emissions.
Given the UK Government’s support of the Kyoto Protocol and of its challenging targets for the reduction of carbon emissions, reducing the energy consumption attributable to buildings is a key policy objective.
By 30th December 2008 all properties - homes and commercial - when sold, built or rented will need an energy performance certificate (EPC). Public buildings will also need to display a display energy performance certificate (DEC).
This initiative is the result of European legislation - the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive - which all member states must adopt”.
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Display Energy Certificates Frequently Asked Questions
Source: Department Finance Personnel NI, Government Websites
What is the policy behind the requirement to display a DEC?
“The introduction of Display Energy Certificate will raise public awareness of energy use and will 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 they 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.
What criteria are used to determine if a Display Energy Certificate is required?
1. A building (or part of a building which is designed or altered to be used separately) with a total useful floor area of over 1000m2.
2. This building must be occupied by either:
- a public authority. A public authority includes central or local government departments and some non-departmental public bodies; or
- an institution providing a public service to a large number of persons. An institution providing a public service is one that provides services that are traditionally provided by local or national government, or are traditionally funded by the taxpayer. If the management of a public service is contracted out, the duty is still likely to apply.
3. The building must also be frequently visited. If the building is provided for members of the public to visit in order to receive a public service then a DEC should be provided. Since a Display Energy Certificate is designed for public use, there is no reason to provide one if it will never or only exceptionally be seen by a member of the public (for example, the building is only visited by employees or by invitation).
The aim of the Directive is for the public to receive energy information about a building they are visiting. The Department would seek to encourage the provision of this information, wherever possible, even if it is not legally required”
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Which buildings will be affected by the requirement to display a Display Energy Certificate?
“Only buildings with a total useful floor area greater than 1000m2 occupied or part occupied by public authorities and institutions providing public services to a large number of persons and frequently visited by those persons are affected by this legislation.
Where a building is partly occupied by a public authority or a relevant institution, the authority or institution is responsible for displaying a DEC and having a valid advisory report. Other private organisations occupying the building, irrespective of the size they occupy, do not need to display a DEC.
The phrase “large number of persons and are therefore frequently visited by those persons”: what does this mean in practice?
This phrase appears in the Directive and no further definition is provided. Since the objective of the Directive, as stated, is to promote the improvement of the energy performance of buildings, on this basis, it would be sufficient to have a few visitors a week to a building for an occupier to qualify.
Both the number of visitors and the recurrence of the visits are required to qualify. Thus, a large number of visitors merely once or twice a year (for example a public show on a site normally closed to the public), would not qualify, nor would one or two persons making frequent visits.
Who is responsible for ensuring that a DEC is displayed?
It is the responsibility of every occupier of a building affected by the Regulations to display a DEC in a prominent place clearly visible to the public and to have in his/her possession a valid advisory report, on or after 30th December 2008. Action is required now to ensure annual energy information is available bythis date.
A DEC shows the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption and is valid for 12 months. An advisory report is valid for 7 years.
How do I get a DEC?
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.
The energy consumption data you provide will be reviewed by the assessor in line with the approved method and adjustments may be made for occupancy, intensity of use, special energy uses, weather and climate.
The carbon dioxide emissions for the certificate are based on the adjusted energy consumption and total useful floor area and building type to give a measured CO2 emission per m2.
The assessor will then produce a DEC and an Advisory Report from this information in line with the approved method. The DEC will need to be lodged in the register by the assessor and given a unique certificate reference number”.
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What does a DEC contain?
“A DEC must contain the following information:
- the operational rating and the asset rating (if available) as determined by a methodology approved by the Department. If you are in possession of an EPC, then you will have an asset rating for the building which shows the performance of the building’s fabric and its fixed building services (such as heating and lighting) based on standard assumptions as to how it is used. If you have an asset rating, this must be displayed on the DEC;
- the operational rating for the building expressed in any certificates displayed by the occupier during the last two years before the nominated date; and
- include reference values such as a current legal standards or benchmarks.
The DEC will also show the unique certificate reference number, the address of the building, the total useful floor area of the building, the name of the energy assessor, their employer (or trading name if self employed), the name of their accreditation scheme and the date when the DEC was issued.
The DEC must be accompanied by an Advisory Report containing cost-effective recommendations for improving the energy efficiency of the building. The report will include zero and low-cost operational and management improvements, possible upgrades to the building fabric or services, and opportunities for the installation of Low and Zero Carbon (LZC) technologies. It should enable the occupier to identify what may be done to improve, for example, building energy management, building services, etc. therefore reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
DECs are valid for 12 months, Advisory Reports for 7 years.
What information should be collected to produce a DEC?
If you are affected by this legislation and are required to display a DEC by 30th December 2008, you should start collecting energy consumption data now. You will need to obtain actual meter readings or consignment notes for all fuels used in your buildings that are affected by this legislation. This may include gas fuels, oil fuels, solid fuels, district heating and cooling, grid electricity and electricity generated on site or obtained by private distribution systems from other sites.
For district heating and cooling and electricity generated on site, or obtained by private distribution systems from other sites, you will also need to obtain the average carbon factor for the service over the accounting period e.g. in kg of carbon dioxide per kWh delivered.
You can obtain this information from a number of sources:
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on-site energy meters
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the building landlord or representative
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the utility supplier
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the district heating/cooling provider.
For affected buildings that are on a site or campus, energy metering information can be collected at site level rather than building level. Although multiple small buildings on a campus where each building is less than 1,000 m2 are excluded, if these buildings are linked to one another by a heated space or are served by the same heating or cooling system then a DEC is required. The energy consumption for each separate building or each group of linked buildings with total useful floor area exceeding 1,000 m2, will then be derived by proportioning on the basis of floor area”.
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What information am I required to provide if I am a recent occupier of the building?
“The operational rating is not required where an occupier has been in occupation for less than 15 months. The asset rating is not required in the display energy certificate where an occupier entered into occupation of the building before 31st December 2008.
Which buildings on a campus require a DEC?
Only buildings visited by the public that are over 1000 m2 require a DEC.
Buildings on a campus that are readily accessible to the public and visited frequently (for example, for meetings) will require a DEC.
Buildings that are not visited frequently (such as restricted access research labs) will not.
Are there any penalties for non-display of a DEC?
Civil law applies and DFP officials and Building Control officers from the relevant District Council area will have the duty of enforcement.
These officers can act on complaints from the public or make random investigations themselves and if they believe that you are subject to any of the duties under the Regulations, they can request you produce the relevant documents. This information must be provided within 7 days of the request and the enforcement officers may take copies of any document you provide for inspection.
Failure to comply with the request of the enforcement officers, or the Regulations, may result in the issue of a penalty charge notice. Penalty charge notices can only be issued within 6 months of the date when the person concerned was subject to a duty in relation to the building.
The penalty for each breach is £500 for failing to display a DEC at all times in a prominent place clearly visible to the public and £1,000 for failing to have possession of a valid advisory report. In addition to these penalties, of course, it is still necessary to commission a DEC and an advisory report.
However:
- if you can demonstrate that you have taken all reasonable steps to avoid breaching the Regulations, then the penalty charge notice may be withdrawn; or
- if you believe the penalty charge notice should not have been given you can request a review. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the review you may appeal to the county court within 28 days after you received notice confirming the penalty charge notice”.