New energy certificates introduced for business premises

Date published: 26/02/2008

Rochdale businesses are being warned that from April they will need an energy certificate when they construct, rent or sell an office or commercial building in England or Wales.

Guy Freeman of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said: "This new legislation is the commercial equivalent of the Home Information Pack introduced for house sales in the UK last year.

"It will rank a building’s energy efficiency and carbon emissions in a similar way to the labelling now found on fridges and washing machines, from a top rating of A down to G.

"The onus will be on the builder or person responsible for the construction of a new building to provide the owner with the certificate. When a building is sold or rented, the responsibility will lie with the owner or landlord.

"A recent survey by Royal Sun Alliance showed that only one in ten had any awareness of this new legislation so I urge people to check out the details and make sure they are complying with these new rules when they are introduced in April."