DEC Frequently Asked Questions
An example of what a DEC might look like is shown here. The Operational Rating (OR) is a numerical indicator of the actual annual carbon dioxide emissions from the building. This Rating is shown on a scale from A to G, where A is the lowest and G is the highest. It is also possible to show the Operational Ratings for the last two years; this provides information on whether the energy performance of the building has improved or not.
The Advisory Report will contain recommendations for improving the energy performance of the building.
All buildings that are over 1,000m² and that are occupied by a public authority or an institution providing a public service, that are frequently visited by a large number of persons. This may include; schools, council offices and universities.
All buildings concerned, with a TUFA greater than 1000m² will require a DEC by the 1st October 2008 (Note: This is the deadline not the start time)
All affected buildings are required to present a DEC, A3 size, in a prominent place clearly visible to the public. An Advisory Report (AR) must also be commissioned alongside a DEC to highlight any recommendations to improve energy performance.
The price of a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) is specific to each building, and is usually dependent upon size, location and the availability of data.
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A DEC and AR can only be produced by an Energy Assessor that has been accredited to produce energy certificates by a recognised authority. They will apply the approved calculation method for Operational Ratings supplied by the Communities in Local Government.
A DEC must be renewed every 12 months. An Advisory Report (AR) is valid for up to 7 years.
This DEC obligation was introduced by law and is to be enforced by Trading Standards Officers. The penalty is £500 for failing to present a Display Energy Certificate 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, it is still necessary to commission the Display Energy Certificate (DEC) and Advisory Report (AR).
The new measures being announced allow a single site based DEC and AR to be produced that covers all qualifying buildings on the whole site. These have been introduced to allow those organisations with a large number of affected buildings on one site to get ready in time for 1 October 2008. Please see the official site DEC guidance.
The DEC and AR will last for one year. After a year, each qualifying building should have its own DEC and AR.
A site based DEC and AR is permitted if a site has metering at site level. If an individual building has its own meter, it should also have its own DEC and AR.
A copy of the site based DEC should be displayed in all buildings on the site.
The Communities and Local Government (CLG), the organisation leading this initiative, are consulting on whether to extend DECs to smaller buildings in the private sector and private sector buildings
Preparation; to ensure that your organisation is ready to comply with the regulations as soon as possible it is imperative that the required data is compiled.
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