How to avoid being branded as an energy waster

Owners of public and commercial buildings should go on a carbon cutting diet now if they don't want to be named and shamed once energy performance certification becomes compulsory this year.

"No building owner wants to carry the public embarrassment of an abysmal rating for their building's energy performance", said Liam McDonagh, Operations Manager for Manchester-based energy management company Utility Auditing part of sustainable power group Ener-g Holdings plc, of Salford.

Liam, who is a Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) qualified Low Carbon Consultant, added: "If you want to avoid being labelled as an energy waster, you need to take urgent steps to improve your energy efficiency now".

"Buildings are likely to be rated from A-G and so for the first time, there will be real transparency of a building's energy performance".

"Certification will affect property values, with the more efficient buildings attracting a market premium, so there is a powerful business case to start preparing immediately." The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires owners of public buildings over 1,000m2 to have a display energy certificate (DEC) by 1 October 2008.

The DEC will have to be displayed in a prominent place to enable the public to easily interpret how well the building performs.

Other non-domestic buildings that are constructed, sold or rented will need to have an energy performance certificate (EPC), which are being phased in by building size:.

* 6 April 2008 Buildings with floor areas greater than 10,000m2.

* 1 July 2008 Buildings with floor areas greater than 2,500m2.

* 1 October 2008 All remaining non-domestic buildings".

"The good news is that businesses can take some quick and simple, low cost steps to reduce their carbon emissions, while cutting their gas and electricity bills at the same time," added Liam.

He continued: "Building owners can take advantage of professional support, including funded Carbon Trust surveys for eligible organisations, which will identify the waste within your business and make fully costed recommendations for improving efficiency and saving money".

"The Carbon Trust also offers interest free loans to offset the cost of investing in energy efficiency".

Energy use in buildings accounts for 47% of total UK energy consumption.

Government research has shown that organisations can reduce energy consumption by up to 20% by applying cost effective measures.

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