New regulations have introduced compulsory energy assessment and energy saving identification for businesses with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS). This is for companies who on 31st December 2014 have more than 250 employees in the UK or if the organisation has fewer than 250 employees, but has an annual turnover exceeding €50m and a balance sheet exceeding €43m.

ESOS compliant energy assessments will be mandatory under law and subject to fines up to £50,000 for non-compliance. Compliant assessments must be submitted to the Environment Agency, based on 12 months of data, by 5 December 2015.

David Inman FRICS CEnv, Chartered Environmental Surveyor with Blackburn based environmental and energy management consultancy DIEM Ltd comments “businesses and other applicable organisations, such as charities and community interest companies, should be looking at their ESOS compliance now, either via developing an Energy Management System to the ISO 50001:2011 standard or in preparation for an ESOS Assessment in 2015.”