Energy Conservation in The United Kingdom - Non Domestic Buildings

Non Domestic Buildings

The UK's primary policy for non domestic buildings is the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme (the CRC, formerly the Carbon Reduction Commitment). It is a mandatory cap and trade scheme in the United Kingdom that will apply to large non-energy-intensive organisations in the public and private sectors. It use 3 main policy tools to achieve this A league table ranking all the participants performance, a reporting regime forcing participants to keep accurate measurements of their energy consumption and an allowance trading scheme. It has been estimated that the scheme will reduce carbon emissions by 1.2 million tonnes of carbon per year by 2020 and significantly reduce electricity demand. Toward avoiding dangerous climate change, the British Government first committed to cutting UK carbon emissions by 60% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), and in October 2008 upped the 2050 commitment to 80%. The scheme has also been credited with driving up demand for energy efficient goods and services particularly amongst British SMEs and in October 2008 upped the 2050 commitment to 80%. The scheme has also been credited with driving up demand for energy efficient goods and services particularly amongst British SMEs.

The CRC was announced in the 2007 Energy White Paper, published on May 23, 2007. A consultation in 2006 showed strong support for it to be mandatory, rather than voluntary. The Commitment has been introduced under enabling powers in Part 3 of the Climate Change Act 2008. A consultation into the scheme's implementation was launched in June 2007. The Scheme is being introduced under the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Order 2010.