The European Union has come up with several steps and measures towards energy consumption reduction across the European countries. A study showed that about 40% of the United Kingdom's energy consumption comes from around 25 million homes and buildings that use this energy in heating, lighting and other uses. Making simple and minor changes in the way energy is consumed will no doubt help in saving the valuable energy. The introduction of Energy Performance Certificate is one of the major steps taken by the European Union government towards energy consumption. And all the member states will have to obey the measures set up according to European Directives.

The Energy Performance Certificate information is almost similar to other certificates provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines. This certificate's main aim is to record that how energy efficient is a property as a building. It provides a grading to the property from A to G, where A is most efficient and G is least efficient. This environmental rating is a measure of a home's impact on our environment in terms of carbon dioxide emissions. The higher the rating would, the more energy efficient the home would be and the less will be the energy bills. Each rating is based on the complete performance of the building and its services, rather than on the usage if domestic appliances within it, known as asset rating.

The Energy Performance Certificate's rating varies according to the age, location, size and condition of the property. At lower level, local communities and the local government are also participating in this campaign against energy wastage. The Energy Performance Certificate information has got suggestions to facilitate homeowners to improve the energy efficiency of the building. These steps are expected to bring lower energy bills and may possibly make homes more attractive to purchasers. It is expected that all the buildings in the UK that are rented, sold or constructed will need to have Energy Performance Certificate by the year 2009. The certificate should be strictly in accordance with the European Directives.

The Energy Performance Certificate information also affords details for the Energy Saving Trust, to help you to find out whether you are suitable for any grants and discounts to carry out the improvements in your home. Leading chartered environmental surveyors in the UK, Wilbourn Associates, will help you to get more details on Energy Performance Certificate. Their website www.environmental-surveyors.com is a complete resource on environmental risk assessment, management, Land Quality Statements and Land Condition Records. Wilbourn Associates deals with all kinds of environmental problems, contaminated land and its impacts on all kinds of properties and construction, also providing assistance for existing environmental management teams.