News
Display Energy Certificates – 21 UCC Buildings Achieve C3 or Better
Each year, University College Cork (UCC), like all public bodies, is required to assess the energy performance of its buildings and publicly display the results through Display Energy Certificates (DEC).
We have recently completed the annual certification process and are delighted to share that we now have 2 A-rated buildings in operation. The Student Hub achieved an A3 rating, joining the School of Architecture as UCC’s second A3-rated building.
The DEC process serves two key purposes:
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Benchmarking performance – comparing each building’s energy use against the expected energy use for similar building types.
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Driving improvement – encouraging building owners to act where ratings highlight opportunities for efficiency gains.
We are pleased to share the results of the most recent certification cycle:
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Two A-rated buildings – The Student Hub achieved an A3 rating, joining the School of Architecture as UCC’s second A3-rated building.
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Strong overall performance – Of the 29 buildings assessed, 21 achieved a C3 rating or better, confirming that they are operating below their expected energy consumption levels.
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Ongoing progress – Six buildings improved their energy rating compared with last year.
It is important to note that the ratings of research-intensive facilities such as Biosciences (E1), Food Science (D1), and Western Gateway (C3) are influenced by the significant energy demands of specialist research equipment – a factor not currently reflected in the national benchmarking methodology.
The Mardyke Pavilion received the lowest rating (G), not due to the building itself, but because of the high energy load from its pitch floodlights, which consume as much electricity in a single hour as approximately 250 homes.