Transcript Plenary Presentation Ian Manders

West Midlands Housing &
Energy Conference 2007
EPCs:
The Car Crash waiting to
happen?
Ian Manders
Deputy Director
Association for the Conservation of Energy
Ian Manders
•Borough councillor 15 years
•Chair Planning Committee 4 yrs
•Parliamentary Researcher
•SPDs on Sustainable Energy
Kingston second LA
adopt unleaded fuel
FoE Climate Change
Resolution 1995
Presentation to
MPs and Peers
HoP 2005
ACE
• not-for-profit company est. 1981,
• funded through restricted membership
of 20 corporate organisations
ACE has achieved notable
successes in campaigning
• VAT exemption on energy efficiency
materials (in 2000),
• Home Energy Conservation Act 1995,
• Warm Homes and Energy Conservation
Act 2000,
• Sustainable Energy Act 2003,
• Climate Change and Sustainable
Energy Act 2006.
ACE has
• improved Building Regulations
• secured statutory targets for domestic
energy efficiency in the Housing Act
2004.
• Fuel Prophet - energy saving
refurbishment measures
• Major EU study on treating high-rise flats
Where do EPCs come from?
Energy
Performance
in Buildings
Directive 2003
(EPBD)
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2003
(EPBD)
• Idea is to cut consumption in all
buildings by making information
available on their energy performance
for comparison
• Regular inspections and re-evaluations
• Higher standards for upgrading large
buildings
• Improved standards for new buildings
What will EPBD achieve
across EU?
• 22% saving of present consumption in
buildings
• 45 million tonnes CO2 reduction by 2010
14% of Kyoto EU obligation
330 million tonnes CO2
reduction by 2010
EPBD definition of EPC
1. EPC must be shown for any building
[with some exceptions] when it is
built, sold or rented
2. No EPC can be older than 10 years
3. EPCs must be displayed “in a
prominent place” in any building
owned by a public authority or
regularly visited by a large number of
people
4. EPCs can only be awarded by
suitably qualified assessors
In UK EPCs
compulsory on all
buildings [in
stages] by 2008
“Seller’s Pack” / Home Information Packs
Incoming Lab Govt promises “Seller’s Pack” in 1997
manifesto
Will cut cost and delay in buying a house by seller
providing all information usually paid for by prospective
buyers
Implementation of Seller’s Pack put off repeatedly by
ministers
UK Govt puts together EPC for dwellings with Seller’s
Pack in 2003 legislation
Timeline to disaster
Incoming Lab Govt promises “Seller’s Pack” in 1997
manifesto
Implementation delayed by ministers
EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2003 makes
EPCs compulsory on all buildings [in stages] by 2008
UK Govt puts together EPC with Seller’s Pack in 2003
legislation
Seller’s Pack successfully lobbied against
by vested interests
Seller’s Pack watered down - survey out
– renamed HIPs
“Location Location Location”
Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) train for 2006 start
HIPs again lobbied against by vested interests – start
delayed to June 07
May 2007 - RICs takes SoS Kelly to court re “Gold plating”
EPCs re shelf life
May 2007 - SoS Kelly loses and blames not enough
Assessors
HIPs delayed to August (4 bed only) and consultation on
shelf life of EPC promised
Situation of non-dwellings uncertain
Result of Judicial Review (1)
• SoS CLG Kelly forced to publish draft
Regulatory Impact Assessment setting out
justification and costs for any proposal on
maximum age of an EPC
• Conduct a 12 week consultation
• Until consultation outcome known, change
regulations to make max age EPC – on first
marketing – from 3 months to 12 months
The Judicial Review was not
• About the non-energy parts of HIPs
• About the number of assessors – that
was a smokescreen to deflect blame
from Govt
• About stopping the EPCs – they are
required under EU EPBD.
Timetable, as in EPBD E&W Regulations
29 March 2007
1 June 07
1 Oct 07
EPCs required for sale existing dwellings as part of HIPs
6 April 08
EPCs required for sale or rent non-dwelling area 500m2
EPCs required on construction for all non-dwellings
Display Certs on all public buildings >1000m2
1 Oct 08
EPCs required for sale or rent all remaining buildings
4 Jan 09
First inspection deadline for air-con >250kW
4 Jan 11
First inspection deadline for air-con >12kW
EPCs required on construction for all dwellings + sale of
dwellings built to ‘new’ 2006 B Regs
Ian Manders
ACE
[email protected]