The long awaited transposition of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) into National Legislation for existing public buildings is finally being seen in a number of member states. In two of them (France and the United Kingdom) Display® member cities are lobbying either via National Users Clubs, or interaction with National Associations for the integration of the communication aspect of Display® into the official National certificates for public buildings.

In France local authorities will need to certify all existing public buildings larger than 1000 m², by the 1st of January 2008. Thanks to the National Users Clubs which met, three times in 2007, about 20 active Display® members with representatives of Energie-Cités, the DGUHC (the national body responsible for the transposition) and the ADEME (French environmental and energy agency) the French local authorities have been able to contribute to the national law that will soon be published. In France it will only be compulsory to produce a certificate that is valid for 10 years. This, therefore, encourages local authorities to pursue the update of their eye-catching and communicative Display® posters, in order to monitor their performances and continue to improve their buildings’ energy performances.

In the UK a number of the leading local authorities (Bristol, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Kirklees and Durham County) are currently lobbying the UK government with assistance from Energie-Cités and the Local Government Association to ensure that there will be a place for a communicative Display® poster in England and Wales. The first UK users club is planned for the 26th of November. Please contact Ian TURNER if you would like to attend this meeting.