There is mounting speculation that the EU’s next edition of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD 2) appears to be back-tracking on the requirements for buildings to have display energy certificates (DECs).

According to BSRIA, the current draft of EPBD 2 has a proposed approach to energy certification centred around buildings’ predicted energy performance.

The latest EPBD 2 draft offers the option of calculated energy consumption, making no mention of measured ratings.

BSRIA have also claimed that section 2.3 of the draft EPBD 2 says: "the energy performance of a building will mean either the calculated amount of energy that would theoretically be needed to meet the annual energy demand associated with a typical use of the building, which includes inter alia energy used for heating, hot water, cooling, ventilation and lighting; or the total measured amount of energy actually consumed for all energy end uses over a year."

EPBD 2 will still require an energy certificate to be displayed, however this is referred to as the energy performance certificate, not the display energy certificate.

The news comes as government officials have officially confirmed with bsdlive.co.uk that of almost 9,000 public buildings given DEC ratings last year, over 75% scored a D or lower rating.

Source

Building Sustainable Design