EPBD consultation is shelved

Fears are emerging that the government’s much touted scheme to introduce Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for commercial and public buildings is descending into chaos and will miss its April 2008 deadline.

The government has scrapped plans to force large private buildings used by the public, such as hotels, to show a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) detailing the building’s energy use.

A consultation aimed at involving the private sector was due to take place over the summer, but it is understood to have been shelved, with the government resigned to DECs being used solely for local authority and government buildings.

A Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) spokesperson said the plan was still in the pipeline, but was unable to give a date for the consultation.

Meanwhile, commercial building owners have objected to the potential cost of advisory reports, a crucial element of the EPC, which recommends ways energy efficiency can be improved in buildings.

In order to properly assess a building’s energy efficiency, an on-site inspection of fabric and systems will be required, but property owners are understood to have told the government these would be too costly.

One source said: “The government is mucking about a bit. It cannot back a survey because the industry fears it will be expensive.”

It is understood the inspection software programme could be upgraded as an alternative to on-site inspections.

But one well-placed insider said: “The software programme is not available until December, and that leaves a very short time-frame – just three months – for people to become familiarised with the system and sort out any teething problems. It’s a lot of pressure on engineers.”

Another source said: “It would have been nice if things had been phased in earlier. That hasn’t happened because of various logistical problems.”

The software will be a modified version of SBEM, the tool developed for the government by BRE to show compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations.

BRE is currently working on alterations to the programme. Paul Davidson, director of BRE’s Sustainable Energy Centre, rejected claims that people would not have enough time to get to grips with the programme before the new legislation comes into force.

“We will have a beta test programme ready by the end of October,” said Davidson. “People can start training on that before the final tool is launched at the end of this year.”

He added that the programme will have the look and feel of SBEM.

As well as producing the rating, BRE intends that the software programme will generate a list of measures that can improve a building’s energy performance.