Display Energy Certificates

Display Energy Certificates from GC Reports

Display Energy Certificates (DECs) are designed to show the energy performance of public buildings.

They use a scale that runs from ‘A’ to ‘G’ – ‘A’ being the most efficient and ‘G’ being the least.

GC Reports has been specifically set up to assist Organisations with the supply of Display Energy Certificates. As an organisation, we are customer focused and place great emphasis on high-quality service. We are here to help; please feel free to contact us at any time to discuss your requirements.

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Further information and FAQs about DECs

Which buildings need a Display Energy Certificate?

Public authorities must have a DEC for a building if all the following are true:

  • It’s at least partially occupied by a public authority (eg council, leisure centre, college, NHS trust)
  • It has a total floor area of over 250 square metres
  • It’s frequently visited by the public

How long do DECs last?

DECs last for 1 year for buildings with a total useful floor area more than 1,000 square metres.

They last for 10 years when the total useful floor area is over 250 square metres and up to 1,000 square metres.

Where to find the Certificate

Public authorities must display their DEC in a prominent place clearly visible to the public, for example near the building’s entrance. They can be fined £500 if they don’t.

Contact the occupier of the building if you can’t find the DEC.

Do private organisations need a DEC?

Private organisations don’t need a DEC but can choose to get one if they want to. They may still need an Energy Performance Certificate if the building is sold or rented.

Obtaining and producing DECs

An energy assessor, accredited to produce DECs, is the only person who can produce a DEC and advisory report for your building.

  • Firstly the energy consumption data provided will be reviewed by the energy assessor in line with the approved methodology. Under certain conditions, the methodology allows adjustments to be made for longer hours of occupation, variations to weather and climate and allows certain activities to be separated if they are not typical of the type of building (separable energy uses).
  • The carbon dioxide emissions for the certificate are based on the adjusted energy consumption and adjusted total useful floor area and building type to give a measured CO2 emission per square metre.
  • The energy assessor will then use an approved tool to calculate the operational rating and produce a DEC and advisory report from the information gathered in line with the approved methodology.

To produce the first DEC and advisory report, the energy assessor must visit the site. In subsequent years the DEC and advisory report can be based on previous knowledge of the building, provided that they are being produced by the same assessor; and a declaration that nothing has changed has been provided by the building occupant.

The DEC and the advisory report must be lodged on the national register and given a unique certificate reference number. The national register is operated by Landmark Information Group Limited on behalf of the Secretary of State and can be found at www.ndepcregister.com

Information required

Once an energy assessor has been commissioned to produce a DEC and advisory report, there are three main steps to performing the assessment, which are:

  • Gathering the relevant information (dimensions, energy meter readings and building energy services)
  • Entering the information into an approved software (operational rating methodology) program
  • The software producing the certificate and the advisory report for the building.

The occupier, in collaboration with the energy assessor, will need to obtain actual meter readings or consignment notes for all fuels used in the buildings that are affected by this legislation.

This may include gas fuels, oil fuels, solid fuels, district heating and cooling, grid electricity and electricity generated on-site or obtained by private distribution systems from other sites.

For district heating and cooling and electricity generated on-site, or obtained by private distribution systems from other sites, the average carbon factor for the fuel over the accounting period will need to be obtained.