It feels like yesterday the ESOS 3 Action Plans were being drafted, but here we are again preparing for the next cycle of the Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme. So what’s new in the fourth iteration of the scheme? Not as much as we were expecting in the end!
During consultation we were expecting this phase to operate quite differently to ESOS P3. The government consulted on:
- improving the quality of audits through increased standardisation of reporting requirements
- the inclusion of a net zero element to audits
- requiring public disclosure of high-level recommendations by participants
Most of the items were approved, with varying timelines, some to be implemented immediately for Phase 3, others to delay until Phase 4.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-the-energy-savings-opportunity-scheme-esos
Since then, we have had government changes and the outcome of the consultation has not been applied as expected. Changes from ESOS P3 that are planned to go ahead are:
- removal of Display Energy Certificates (DECs) and Green Deal Assessments (GDAs) as compliance routes
- progress against action plan commitments to be included in the ESOS assessment
- where action plan commitments have not been met, participants must provide an explanation
Due to delays in legislature the items which were previously planned to align ESOS with Net Zero and SECR have been pushed to Phase 5. These would have been:
- changes to refocus the scheme to cover net zero as well as energy efficiency
- change to qualification thresholds to better align with Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)
Here at Ethical Sustainability we will be operating to the newer PAS 51215-1:2025, and PAS 51215-2:2025 standards voluntarily. Our priority remains tailoring our surveying and your recommendations to align with your business strategy and manufacturing priorities.
