About Display Energy Certificates
Calculating the energy efficiency of public buildings
Unlike Non Domestic Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s), Display Energy Certificates (DECs) show the energy performance of non domestic buildings based on actual energy consumption.
Who requires a DEC?
An Occupier of a building which has a total ‘useful floor area’ of 250m² or above, publically occupied, and regularly visited by members of the public would be classed as a public building and would therefore require a DEC. This could include schools, museums, hospitals, community centres, leisure centres etc.
What will a DEC Show
The first thing anyone will see on a Display Energy Certificate is the operational rating, which illustrates how efficiently energy has been used in a building, measured on an A to G scale; ‘A’ being the most efficient. The example above shows a building which has a D rating of 86 which betters the energy efficiency score, ‘typical’ of this bulding type.
However when comparing this with previous operational ratings for this building, there has been an improvement in how efficiently energy has been used over time, from 87 in 2014 to 86 in 2015. Moreover the DEC also shows the total CO2 emissions for the building, in tonnes over the course of a year.
A DEC sould be made clearly visible to members of the public e.g. behind a fronmt desk or near a building entrance.
Will I receive anything else with my certificate?
A DEC will also be accompanied by an advisory report which provides useful recommendations for improving the energy performance of the building. This could include management and operational improvements, as well as installation of low or zero carbon technologies.
How long will a DEC last?
The period in which a DEC is valid, depends on the total useful floor area. If it is more than 1000m² then the DEC is only valid for 1 year (Advisory report is valid 7 years), however if it is between 250m² and 1000m² then both the DEC and advisory report is valid for 10 years.
What will happen if I do not have a DEC to display?
A local authority can issue a penalty charge notice of £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 possess or have in their control a valid advisory report. In addition to these penalties, it will still be necessary to commission the documents, otherwise further offences will be committed.
If you can demonstrate that you have taken all reasonable steps to avoid breaching the regulations, then the penalty charge notice must be withdrawn.
If you require a DEC assessment then you will need a qualified DEC Assessor to produce A legally valid Display Energy Certificate (DEC). They will use a government approved OR Calc Software (Operational Rating Software). A DEC Assessor can then upload the survey data to the Non Domestic Central Register.