Energy ratings should be displayed, says Green Building
Council
All non-residential buildings should have to display energy
efficiency ratings as part of the new Energy Bill, according to
calls from the UK Green Building Council.
The ratings - called Display Energy Certificates (DEC) - range
from A to G and represent how energy efficient buildings are.
According to the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC), the DECs would
offer an 'at-a-glance indicator' alongside detailed information
about each building's energy performance.
Making the display of DECs compulsory as part of the Energy Bill
will help to cut costs, drive efficiency and encourage eco-linked
refurbishment, says the UK-GBC.
If the proposals are accepted, the body is pushing for the
roll-out to start in 2012. It has also made other suggestions
including requiring landlords to display certificates detailing the
energy efficiency of their services, and pass this information onto
their occupiers.
Chief Executive of the UK Green Building Council, Paul King,
said,"If you want to go on a diet, you first find out how much you
weigh. The property sector urgently needs to go on an energy diet
but to do so, it has to be able to accurately measure and report on
its energy use.
"Display Energy Certificates do exactly that and should be
rolled out to all buildings as soon as practically possible. There
is a window of opportunity to do this in the Energy Bill currently
going through Parliament," he added.