Every commercial property in the UK could be forced to display energy consumption rates for all and sundry, as the government announced in January it intends to enlist every non-domestic property in the battle against climate change.

 

Last year, the British Government pledged to cut carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 and that means forcing businesses to be transparent over energy usage. In response to its first annual progress report by the Committee for Climate Change, the government has proposed that all non-domestic buildings exhibit a Display Energy Certificate (DEC).

 

DECs show the actual energy usage of a building, the Operational Rating and help the public see the energy efficiency of a building, based on gas, electricity and other consumptions.

 

Currently, only buildings with a total useful floor area over 1000m², those occupied or part occupied by public authorities or institutions that provide public services, and are visited by a large number of people are required to have DECs on full display.

 

"The BPF has long been campaigning for a roll-out of display energy certificates and today’s announcement is very welcome,” said British Property Federation’s Assistant Director for Sustainability, Patrick Brown.

 

“It is vital that we motivate both owners and occupiers to use buildings effectively. Building up energy performance data on buildings would allow us to easily benchmark and compare properties and would also give the public a greater insight into how well their own offices or chosen retailers are performing.”

But the introduction of such blatant energy figures could spell the end of some of the country’s sixties and seventies infrastructure.

 

In an interview with The Times, the government’s new Chief Construction Advisor said there may be no choice but to demolish some of the “free love-era” buildings as there is no solution to solving their energy wastage.

 

"Although you can do some things to buildings from the sixties and seventies, like replacing the roofs, there are probably some places that need to come down entirely,” said Paul Morrell.

 

“The buildings that pose the most difficulties are semi-industrialised, highly inefficient, badly insulated and so ugly that they are not worth refurbishing.”

Affected property landlords are starting to deal with incoming obligations that will force them to spend millions of pounds to improve energy efficiency in their buildings, or to redevelop them.