黑洞社区

Industry letter on energy standards in full

Dear Prime Minister

Commercial buildings are responsible for around one fifth of the UK鈥檚 total carbon dioxide emissions, and a similar proportion of the UK鈥檚 total energy consumption. At the same time, the sector offers some of the most cost-effective carbon abatement and energy efficiency potential. If this potential can be delivered, it will also bring enormous benefits for the UK in terms of business competitiveness, economic growth, and energy security.

With this in mind, the 2011 Energy Act placed an obligation on the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to introduce a minimum energy performance standard for privately rented commercial (and domestic) buildings. Since that time, industry representatives have been working alongside Government officials to help draw up proposals as to how this might best be put into practice. Over that same period, organisations from across the commercial building sector have begun to take practical steps to gear up for the regulations, including undertaking due diligence studies covering their property portfolios, and investing in upgrades to poor performing buildings. In short, the prospect of this legislation is already starting to have a visible and positive effect on the market.

However, at the current time we are still waiting for the consultation on these regulations to be published, amid rumours that there is significant opposition to their implementation within Government.

We are writing to urge you to ensure that Government sees through its commitments on minimum energy performance standards for commercial rented properties. The regulations have the potential to play a transformative role across the sector, impacting as they will at a critical 鈥渢ransaction (leasing) phase鈥� in the building lifecycle. This has repeatedly been highlighted as the point at which strong and cost-effective action can be taken, yet one which has so far been largely neglected by policy-makers.

If these regulations can be designed to be clear, simple and long-term, they could unleash a tidal wave of investment in our most inefficient property stock. In turn, this will drive innovation that would help the UK gain a significant share of a global energy efficiency market that is already worth over 拢17.6bn to the economy. In contrast, the current prevarication around the policy is preventing timely preparations from being made, raising the potential costs of compliance to industry.

We therefore call on you to end the uncertainty around these regulations, and ensure that a robust and ambitious consultation document is published as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Paul King, Chief Executive, UK Green 黑洞社区 Council

Keith Bugden, Executive Programme Director, Better 黑洞社区s Partnership

Michael Green, Chief Executive, British Council of Shopping Centres

Matthew Howell, Regional Managing Director, UK & Ireland, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

Andrew Warren, Director, Association for the Conservation of Energy

Andrew Bolitho, Energy, Property and Transport Advisor, The British Retail Consortium

Rob Noel, Chief Executive, Land Securities

Pascal Mittermaier, Director of Sustainability EMEA and Project Director, Lend Lease

David Sleath, Chief Executive, SEGRO

David Atkins, Chief Executive Officer, Hammerson Plc

Sophie Carruth, Head of Sustainability, LaSalle Investment Management

Bill Hughes, Managing Director, Legal and General Property

Michael Sales, Managing Director, TIAA Henderson Real Estate

Chris Taylor, CEO, Hermes Real Estate

Dan Grandage, Head of Responsible Property Investment, Aberdeen Asset Management

Tony Jacob, Head of Construction, Environment and Engineering, John Lewis Partnership

Munish Datta, Head of Plan A & Facilities Management, Marks & Spencer

Nick Lakin, Group Head of Government Affairs, Kingfisher Plc

Paul Joyner, Managing Director, SBS (Part of the Travis Perkins Group)

Rebecca Pearce, Senior Director, EMEA Head of Sustainability, CBRE Ltd

Rob Bould, Chief Executive, GVA

Patrick Bellew, Founding Director, Atelier Ten

Rob Lambe, Managing Director, Willmott Dixon Energy Services Limited

Donald Daw, Divisional Director, Mitsubishi Electric UK

John Sinfield, Managing Director, Knauf Insulation Northern Europe

Pat Ward, Chief Executive, Aggregate Industries

Rab Bennetts, Director, Bennetts Associates

Professor Paul Ekins, Director, UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, University College London

Alex Flach, Construction & Maintenance Director, Whitbread Plc