The UK government does not have a clear policy on cutting carbon emissions because 166 separate public sector bodies are giving conflicting advice

Today, a coalition of private sector developers said government needed to clear up environmental policies, which are confusing because there are 70 national bodies and 96 regional bodies that offer energy efficiency advice. It said a clearer direction is needed to help the UK targets to reduce carbon emissions.

The British Property Federation said the government should extend the policy of having display energy certificates (DECs) in all public sector buildings to the private sector. DECs display a building’s energy use publicly so everyone knows how energy efficient it is. Private developers including British Land, Hammerson, Hermes, Land Securities, Legal and General, Prupim and Segro backed the call.

Dave Farebrother, environmental director at Land Securities, said the firm has recently announced it will voluntarily introduce DECs across its London portfolio.

“DECs, which reflect how buildings actually operator, are much more helpful in this regard than a theoretical [Energy Performance Certificate],” he said. An EPC does not measure the actual energy use of a building.

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