ðə mˈɜːtən ɹˈuːl ɪz nˈeɪmd ˈæftɚ ðə kˈaʊnsəl ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd kˈɪŋdəm ðæt ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiː ɐdˈɑːptᵻd ðə fˈɜːst pɹɪskɹˈɪptɪv plˈænɪŋ pˈɑːlɪsi ðæt ɹᵻkwˈaɪɚd nˈuː kəmˈɜːʃəl bˈɪldɪŋz ˌoʊvɚ wˈʌn,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ skwˈɛɹ mˈiːɾɚz tə dʒˈɛnɚɹˌeɪt æt lˈiːst tˈɛn pɚsˈɛnt ʌv ðɛɹ ˈɛnɚdʒi nˈiːdz jˈuːzɪŋ ˌɔn sˈaɪt ɹᵻnˈuːəbəl ˈɛnɚdʒi ɪkwˈɪpmənt.
The Merton Rule is named after the council in the United Kingdom that in 2003 adopted the first prescriptive planning policy that required new commercial buildings over 1,000 square meters to generate at least 10% of their energy needs using on site renewable energy equipment.