A property consultancy warns that aligning energy efficiency rules in Belfast with England and Wales could render most offices unlettable. Currently, buildings are rated from A to G, with England and Wales requiring at least an E standard by 2030 and proposing a minimum of B. CBRE's research reveals only 25% of Belfast's office space meets B standard or higher. 

Managing director Brian Lavery predicts inevitable regulatory change in Northern Ireland. With Stormont's net-zero energy strategy, Mr. Lavery emphasises the seismic impact of adopting similar policies, urging property owners to invest or face unlettable buildings. When similar standards were introduced in England and Wales, one in eight commercial properties failed to comply.