RIBA has responded to a Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) consultation on Display Energy Certificates (DECs).
The consultation proposes to relax the implementation of the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive to ‘minimise administrative costs of EU requirements’. This would exclude a significant proportion of public sector buildings from the existing requirement to issue Display Energy Certificates.
If this proposal is approved, the government would drop DEC requirements for 54,000 public buildings in England and Wales. Most of these will be schools and town halls. This will be implemented by tightening the definition of buildings ‘frequently visited by the public’, to the extent that buildings such as town halls, swimming pools and schools could all become exempt from showing DECs.
RIBA Head of External Affairs Anna Scott-Marshall said:
‘Display Energy Certificates have played an important role in boosting the energy efficiency of public sector buildings across the UK since they were introduced in 2008. The proposals the government are consulting on represent a backwards step.
‘Without clear information on how much energy buildings use and the ability to benchmark performance against comparable buildings, there is a danger that temptation for a false saving has much greater long-term implications for the environment.’
ENDS
Notes to editors:
1. For further press information contact the RIBA Press Office: 020 7580 5533 pressoffice@riba.org
2. For more information on the RIBA’s response to the consultation on DECs, visit: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Contactus/NewsAndPress/Membernews/PracticeNews/2015/February2015/19February2014/GovernmenttodropDECsforschoolsandtownhalls.aspx
3. The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) champions better buildings, communities and the environment through architecture and our members www.architecture.com
4. Follow us on Twitter for regular RIBA updates www.twitter.com/RIBA
Posted on Friday 13th March 2015
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