Coventry Best 4 Business

When are Display Energy Certificates required?

What buildings are affected?

Only buildings with a total useful floor area over 1000 square metres that are occupied or part occupied either by public authorities and by institutions providing public services to a large number of people and therefore visited by those persons are affected by this legislation.

Where a building is partly occupied by a public authority or a relevant institution, the authority or institution is responsible for displaying a DEC and having a valid advisory report.

Other private organisations occupying the building, irrespective of the size they occupy, do not need to display a DEC. See A guide to Display Energy Certificates and advisory reports for public buildings.

If you are still unsure about whether you need to display a DEC, please contact 0845 365 2468 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it to check.

What is required and when?

By 1 October 2008 if you are an occupier of a building requiring a DEC you will need to display the certificate showing an Operational Rating in a prominent place clearly visible to the public.

By 1 October 2008 you will also need to have a valid advisory report.

If you are a new occupier, or have been in occupation for less than 15 months by 1 October 2008, you may not have 12 months of meter readings available that are required for an Operational Rating. The legislation makes provisions for calculation over the period of occupation in these cases.

DECs must be renewed every 12 months.

If you are in possession of an Energy Performance Certificate - which are currently being introduced and will be required for the sale, rent or construction of all buildings from October 2008 - you will have an Asset Rating for the building. This must also be displayed on the DEC.