Commercial buildings 'need DECs'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 25-07-2011

Commercial properties should be required to possess display energy certificates (DECs), according to the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) president.

Office interiors are among the spaces which might need DECs under Andy Ford's proposals, with the CIBSE president contacting Chancellor George Osborne to recommend the commercial use of the certificates.

The annual energy consumption of a building is made clear with the help of a DEC. The documents are already a requirement for buildings in the public sector.

In a statement, the CIBSE noted: "DECs provide essential data that is needed to implement effective energy reduction measures and cut public energy bills."

It added: "There is growing evidence that they are helping to reduce public spending on energy bills."

In 2010, the Government's aim of cutting its estate emissions by 10% was beaten, with ministers indicating that emissions were lowered by 13.8%.