EU energy ratings legislation targets air conditioned buildings

The installation of air conditioning systems could be scrapped on new office buildings in the wake of proposals to rate buildings according to their energy usage.

Legislation, due to be announced imminently, will assess the energy efficiency of new and existing non-residential buildings and rate them. This is in response to the EU Energy Performance of Buildings directive, which requires all buildings to have energy certificates when constructed, sold or rented.

Under the proposals, all buildings will have a sale or rent certificate indicating the energy performance of the their fabric. Industry figures, developers and building owners are likely to cry foul, as all new and existing buildings that feature heating and ventilating systems will be assessed against a naturally ventilated benchmark. Under the proposed ratings, a Part L compliant naturally ventilated building would achieve a B rating, meaning that many recently built, mechanically ventilated buildings will fall as low as a D rating, seriously affecting their value.

The legislation will also require all public buildings of over 1000 m2 to have a ‘permanent display rating’, measuring how much energy they use per square metre.

The legislation is to be implemented in stages. Sale or rent certificates will be required for:

• Buildings larger than 1000 m2 by January 2008;
• Buildings between 500 and 1000 m2 by April 2008;
• All other buildings by October 2008.

Permanent display ratings will be required on central government buildings by October 2007 and other buildings owned and used by the public by April 2008.

John Field, energy management specialist with Power Efficiency, said: “The timetable couldn't be much later to avoid tripping up over the EU deadline, but it is very tight for the property industry. We need to start working now if we are going to achieve these dates.”