Energy
Display Energy Certificates
Display Energy Certificates (DECs) are intended to raise public awareness of energy consumption and to inform visitors to public buildings about the energy efficiency of a building.
An affected organisation must display a DEC in a prominent place clearly visible to the public and have in its possession or control a valid advisory report. The introduction of DECs will for the first time give publicly accessible information on the energy performance of public buildings. It is important not only that the public sector complies but that it is seen to be setting an example. Environmental performance is increasingly important to reputation.
DECs show the actual energy usage of a building, the Operational Rating, this is based on the energy consumption of the building as recorded by gas, electricity and other meters. The DEC should be clearly displayed at all times and clearly visible to the public.
Display Energy Certificates are only required for buildings with a total useful floor area over 1,000 sq metres that are occupied by a public authority or institution providing a public service to a large number of persons and therefore visited by those persons. They are valid for one year.
The poster below illustrates the layout and content of a DEC.
