The government wants all commercial properties to be graded for their energy efficiency by October 2008.

The new regulations will be phased in between April 2007 and January 2009. These will require Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to be provided for virtually all buildings.

Each EPC will grade a building from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient) according to how effectively it uses energy. There will also be recommendations for actions to improve the grading. EPCs will be required whenever a building is constructed, sold or rented and must be made available to prospective buyers and tenants.

Listed buildings are not excluded and will require EPCs. There are 370,000 or so listed buildings including many leisure properties.

Limiting heat loss through the fabric of a historic building is likely to be the most common area of potential conflict. Most alterations required to improve significantly the energy efficiency of listed buildings will require listed building consent but it may well be difficult and at times impossible, to get such consent. Although applications for listed building consent are made to the relevant local planning authority, English Heritage also has an advisory role.

English Heritage, among others, believes that a conservative approach is needed, with knowledge and experience needed to determine what is important and how changes can be made to historic buildings with the least effect on the character of the building. The right balance will be needed between reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions and conserving the national and local heritage. There will also be tough choices to make over costs. However this debate is only just beginning, so there is likely to be a period of uncertainty for the leisure and hospitality industry.