CIBSE has launched a new campaign offering guidance to help cut the cost of EPCs & DECs, in return for a commitment to pledge 100 staff hours to dedicate to energy reducing activities.
Following two successful years of the '100 Days of Carbon Clean Up Campaign', The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is rolling out an initiative, aimed at enabling companies to prepare themselves for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Display Energy Certificates (DECs).

This year the initiative will be challenging UK organisations to pledge 100 hours of staff time to commit to carbon reduction activities. Sign up starts now and participants have until the end of November to reach the 100 hours target, with activities and progress logged on a personalised Time Card via the 100 hours website www.100hours.co.uk

In return CIBSE will provide free guidance on preparing for EPCs and DECs, and the tools to encourage monitoring energy use in order to measure & manage it. Learning activities, themed events and eco-freebies will all help to keep participants motivated.

Commenting on the new '100 Hours of Carbon Clean up Campaign', CIBSE president Professor John Swaffield said: 'The previous two campaigns have proved the enthusiasm of UK organisations to get involved and cut carbon emissions from their buildings. This time we want to encourage even more firms to sign up and pledge their commitment, and to show that you just need to spend a little time to make a lot of difference.'

Last year's campaign saw 700 organisations sign up to cut carbon emissions from their buildings, with organisations such as Bolton Wanderers Football Club, The Natural History Museum, BBC Wales and Transport for London all getting involved.

Glynnan Barham, energy & emissions manager at The Natural History Museum explained why it would be signing up again for this year's campaign: 'The 2007 '100 Days' initiative proved to be a popular and worthy campaign, both at a national level and at our base level with all the staff who participated. The museum will definitely sign up again for the 2008 campaign.'

Commercial and public buildings in the UK account for 25% of UK's total carbon emissions, while increasing energy prices are encouraging a renewed interest in energy savings. New legislation makes it mandatory for commercial building owners to produce certificates (EPCs and DECs) that rate their buildings' energy performance, before they can be built, sold or rented, or for public display. It is believed that more 100,000 buildings will require EPCs each year from April 2008 onwards.

Sign up to the 100 Hours of Carbon Clean up Campaign at www.100hours.co.uk