29 March 2005
Promising plans to supply homes in the UK with energy ratings look set to be delayed according to reports today.
The Guardian writes that the delay could even undermine attempts to reduce climate change.
An EU directive has recommended rating systems on the energy performance of all dwellings and commercial buildings should be introduced by the start of 2006 and the government was thought to be in line with this.
However this recent delay in action despite protests from a number of key environmental groups could mean that it is now too late to adequately train surveyors and energy inspectors.
Andrew Warren, chief executive of the Association for the Conservation of Energy, commented: "The UK is terrible by Scandinavian standards and even Portugal is doing better than us. We have just no hope of doing this on time. It is a disgrace."
A spokeswoman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister added: "The UK wants to implement this in full from day one. There is still time, even if it is held up until after the election."
It had been expected that the system would operate along similar lines to the current white goods initiative, which rates appliances from A (efficient) to G (inefficient).
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