Energy Performance Certificates lead to gap between "aspiration and reality"

Source H&V News 29 Mar 2008

Consultants and sustainability experts have question Government officials over whether buildings really measure up to their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings.

A whole range of issues were raised when key industry figures took part in a round table discussion with the Department for Communities and Local Government including whether Display Energy Certificates should be made compulsory beyond public buildings.

Roderic Bunn, sustainable schools specialist for the Building Services Research and Information Association and a trustee at the Usable Buildings Trust, said Display Energy Certificates were more important to him than EPCs as they monitored what actually happened instead of what should happen.

He said: “Just totting up the energy efficiency of all the systems or technologies in the building is no guarantee it’ll be operated that way. We’re seeing big gaps between aspiration and reality.”

Terry Dix, director of Arup and a representative for the UK Green Building Council, says he is disappointed the operational rating is voluntary: “I think that would have demonstrated how well a given client is operating their building, regardless of the theoretical asset rating.

"They may have a very good building that they’re using badly. Or they may have a very bad building that they’re operating very efficiently.”

Dr Carol Sweetenham, deputy director of energy performance in the Buildings Directive team at the Department of Communities and Local Government, said a consultation on extending the scope of DECs would be undertaken later this year.