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There are many ways to reduce the impact your property has on the environment - furnishing it with ethically-sourced materials is just one option - but the best way to show that your building is eco-friendly is by having a Display Energy Certificate, or Commercial DEC.

If you work in a large public sector building you may already know what a Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC is, as they were introduced in October 2008. For those who are unaware, a Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC shows the actual energy use of a building, making its energy efficiency visible to the public.

A Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC is calculated according to how much gas, electric or other utilities are used in the building. The Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC must be shown clearly in all buildings with a useable space over 1,000m2. It is valid for one year.

The Display Energy Certificate was brought in as a result of legislation arising from the Kyoto Protocol, which commits the EU to reduce CO2 emissions to 5.2 per cent below what they were in 1990 by 2010. Possession of a Commercial Energy Performance Certificiate or Commercial DEC, while required by law, proves that your building is contributing not only to reducing the impact of climate change but also to raising wider awareness of energy efficiency and environmental issues.

If you do not work in a large public building, there is a domestic equivalent to the Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC. You can get an Energy Performance Certificate to prove the eco-friendliness of your home and, if you are selling or renting a property, form a required part of the Home Information Pack.

The Energy Performance Certificate acts in much the same way as a Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC, making visible your property's energy efficiency (but don't worry, unlike with the Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC, you needn't put it on clear public display).

The delivery of every Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC is accompanied by an advisory report, detailing ways in which the energy efficiency of your property can be improved, with the most cost effective solutions highlighted. It is this aspect of a Display Energy Certificate or Commercial DEC that is the most useful to businesses or homeowners who want to reduce their impact on the environment and ensure they work or live in an ethical, environmentally friendly building.