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CentralgovernmentMaking carbon savings go further in the Government Estate
Sector Overview
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Preface
Reducing energy use makes perfect business sense; it saves
money, enhances reputation and helps everyone in the fight
against climate change.
The Carbon Trust provides simple, effective advice to help
businesses and public sector organisations take action to
reduce carbon emissions, and the simplest way to do this
is to use energy more efficiently.
This overview for central government introduces the mainenergy saving opportunities for the sector and demonstrates
how simple actions can save energy and help make the most
of budgets.
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Contents
Introduction 04
Energy consumption in the
Government Estate 05
Government targets
and compliance 07
Opportunities for energy saving 10
Heating 10
Ventilation and cooling 13
Lighting 15
Office and small power equipment 20
Building fabric 22
Catering 24
Combined heat and power (CHP) 26
Renewable energy 28
Water usage 31
Laundries 33
Housekeeping and people solutions 35
Purchasing and service contracts 38
Action checklist 40
Next steps 42
Further services from theCarbon Trust 43
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Introduction
Sustainability is high on the agenda of all government departments. Carbon reduction andenergy efficiency is an ideal way to demonstrate commitment, as it spans environmental,
economic and social factors.
Energy is one of the largest controllable
overheads across the Government Estate and
there are many opportunities to make savings.
Reducing energy consumption and carbon
emissions not only helps government achieve
targets but also improves working conditions
and can increase staff productivity.
As most government departments have strict
budgetary constraints, money saved through
energy efficiency can make a useful contribution
to improving facilities elsewhere. Furthermore,
the environment will benefit from reductions in
carbon emissions and energy use which can
enhance the image of government and motivate
others to become more environmentally aware.
Who is this publication for?
This overview deals with the wide range of
buildings in the Government Estate. This includes
both office-based buildings within civil
departments, as well as institutional buildings
such as prisons and those in MoD estates.
Regardless of building type, use and consumption
profile, all properties in the Estate use significant
energy. This publication addresses key areas for
making savings generally, and is aimed at helping
facilities managers and decision-makers get the
most from their budgets.
What are the benefits of saving energy and
reducing carbon emissions?
• Saves money, which can be used elsewhere.
• Demonstrates good overall management and
promotes the importance of energy efficiency
in the community. The Government Estate
should act as exemplars for both commercial
and non-profit organisations UK-wide.
• Lower maintenance costs for buildings and
associated services and equipment,
as well as prolonged reliability and lifespan.
• Reduced environmental pollution.
• Helps to meet UK Government
energy/CO2 reduction targets.
• Improved internal conditions
for building occupants.
Did you know?
The Government Estate covers over
250,000 hectares, and its buildings are
responsible for emitting as much CO2
as the whole of Liverpool.
Energy costs are not fixed, but controllable and should be
managed accordingly
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Energy consumption in the Government Estate
In the UK, the Government Estate’s total energy demand stands at around 10 billion kWhper year, which is about 1% of the UK’s total.
Government buildings fulfil a variety of functions,
which can be split broadly into:
Offices and services – varying from large,
office-style complexes such as Her Majesty’sRevenue and Customs to local, customer-facing
centres such as benefits agencies and Job
Centre Plus offices.
Institutions – including prisons and courts. This
category also includes laboratories and MoD bases.
Government buildings range from listed and
refurbished buildings to purpose-built, prestige
developments. Both the function and condition
of the building will affect its energy consumption
profile, and consequently where energy, cost
and carbon savings can be made.
Energy consumption profiles and costs are
determined by the facilities that government
buildings offer. Clearly, those with leisure
centres, residential accommodation or large
science/biomedical facilities will have different
consumption patterns and spend from office
and service buildings.
Did you know?
Around 40% of the Government
Estate’s total energy consumption
is used within the Civil Estate, with
military establishments responsible
for the rest.
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Despite the wide range, there are several areas
which emerge as particularly important when
targeting energy wastage. Although necessarily
generic, the charts below offer an insight into
the main areas of energy consumption,
subsequent costs and carbon emissions
within the Government Estate.
The graphs clearly demonstrate how, in some
areas, although the percentage of energy used
may be quite low, the cost, both financially
and in terms of carbon, can be significant, for
example, lighting, and space heating using
electricity. By following the guidance in this
publication, these costs and carbon emissions
can often be significantly reduced.
Catering (elec.)
Cooling & ventilationHot water (elec.)
Lighting
Computing
other (elec.)
Space heating (elec.)
Catering (fossil fuel)Hot Water (fossil fuel)
Other (fossil fuel)
Space heating (fossil fuel)
Catering (elec.)
Cooling & ventilationHot water (elec.)
Lighting
Computing
other (elec.)
Space heating (elec.)
Catering (fossil fuel)Hot Water (fossil fuel)
Other (fossil fuel)
Space heating (fossil fuel)
Catering (elec.)
Cooling & ventilationHot water (elec.)
Lighting
Computing
other (elec.)
Space heating (elec.)
Catering (fossil fuel)Hot Water (fossil fuel)
Other (fossil fuel)
Space heating (fossil fuel)
Figure 1 Percentage Energy Use Figure 2 Percentage Energy Cost Figure 3 Percentage Carbon Emissions
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Government targets and compliance
As well as achieving cost savings, reducing energy and carbon emissionsare requirements in numerous government initiatives.
New targets for carbon reductions were
introduced in April 2011 through the greening
Government operations and procurement
commitments:
1. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25%,
from a 2009/10 baseline from the whole
estate and business-related transport.
a. Cut carbon emissions from Central
Government offices by 10% in 2010/11.
All ministerial HQs to publish online real
time energy use information.
b. Cut domestic business travel flights by
20% by 2015, from a 2009/10 baseline.
2. Reduce the amount of waste generated by
25% from a 2009/10 baseline.
a. Cut paper use by 10% in 2011/12.
b. Government will go to market with
a requirement for “closed loop”
recycled paper in 2011, subject to
approval from the Government’s
Procurement Executive Board.
c. Ensure that redundant ICT equipment
is re-used (within government, the
public sector or wider society) or
responsibly recycled.
3. Reduce water consumption from a 2009/10
baseline, and report on office water use
against best practice benchmarks:
a.≥6 m3
water consumption per full timeemployee equivalent (poor practice).
b. 4m3 to 6m3 per full time employee
equivalent (good practice).
c.≤4m3 per full time employee equivalent
(best practice).
d. Percentage of offices meeting best/good/
poor practice benchmark.
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4. Ensure government buys more sustainable
and efficient products and engages with its
suppliers to understand and reduce the
impacts of its supply chain:
a. Embed the Government Buying Standards
in departmental and centralised procurement
contracts, within the context of Government’s
overarching priorities of value for money
and streamlining procurement processes.
b. Improve and publish data on supply chain
impacts, initially focussing on carbon, but
also water and waste – setting detailed
baselines for reducing these impacts.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)
These certificates relate to all buildings that have
a total useable floor area of greater than
1,000m2, and are required whenever such a
building is constructed, sold or rented. The
building is given an asset rating which assesses
the building’s potential to be energy efficient.
The certificate records how energy efficient a
building is and will provide an energy rating of
the building from A to G, where A is very
efficient and G is the least efficient. These are
similar to the labels now provided with
domestic appliances such as refrigerators and
washing machines. EPCs are produced using
standard methods and assumptions about
energy usage An EPC is always accompanied
by a recommendation report that lists cost
effective and other measures to improve the
energy rating.
Display Energy Certificates
Display Energy Certificates (DECs) are required
for buildings with a total useful floor area over
1,000m2, that are occupied or part occupied either
by public authorities or by institutions providing
public services to a large number of people.
DECs show the actual energy usage of a
building, its operational rating, and its energy
efficiency, based on energy consumption
recorded by gas, electricity and other meters.
A DEC is always accompanied by an Advisory
Report that lists cost-effective measures to
improve the energy rating of the building.
The DEC must be clearly displayed at all times in
a prominent place clearly visible to the public.
Display Energy Certificates are valid for one year
and the Advisory Report is valid for seven years.
EPC’s are an asset rating, which is a measure of
the quality of the building, whilst DECs are an
operational rating and reflect how it is run.
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National Indicators
National Indicators are set by the government
to measure the performance of public service
organisations against agreed national priorities.
Continuous improvement seeks to balance
quality and cost considerations, and is achieved
with regard to a range of values such as
economy, sustainable development,
safety and wellbeing.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) provides
a way of funding major capital investments,
without immediately drawing on public funds.
Private consortia, usually involving large
construction firms, are contracted to design,
build, and in some cases manage new projects.
Contracts typically last for 30 years, during
which time the building is leased by a public
authority. For more information, turn to the
PPP/PFI section on page 30.
Building Research EstablishmentEnvironmental Assessment Method
This is a tool used to assess the environmental
impact of buildings and is a requirement
of all new government buildings and major
refurbishments. The Building Research
Establishment Environmental Assessment
Method (BREEAM) provides a flexible
assessment method valid throughout the life
of a building, giving emphasis to issues of
growing environmental importance such as
energy, transport, water consumption and
construction materials. The Government BuyingStandards require environmental assessments
using BREEAM or equivalent for all holistic
government building projects to achieve
at least ‘excellent’ ratings for new buildings
and ‘very good’ for major refurbishments.
Defence Related Environmental
Assessment Method
The Defence Related Environmental Assessment
Method (DREAM) is an online environmentalassessment tool, developed by Defence Estates
(Estate Strategy & Policy) for New Building and
Refurbishment projects on the Defence Estate.
Further information
The Carbon Trust Design Advice Service
promotes the construction of more
energy-efficient non-domestic buildings.Support ranges from self-help guidance to
free or subsidised design and construction
consultancy. Contact the Carbon Trust on
0800 085 2005 for more information.
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Opportunities for energy saving
There are lots of opportunities for saving energy and, therefore, money and carbon emissions.Many of these require little or no cost, with some needing more significant investment.
Heating
In a building without comfort cooling, the
greatest energy user is usually heating.
There are several key opportunities to save
energy and reduce carbon emissions with
regards to heating, particularly by taking a closer
look at a building’s systems and controls and at
the behaviour of building occupants.
Change habits
Keep windows and doors closed
Staff members and delivery personnel require
easy access to buildings but open doors allow
warmed air to escape and cold air to enter. The
thermostat then senses a temperature decrease
and automatically switches the heating on which
may be unnecessary. Whenever a space is
heated, try to keep external doors closed.
Obtain feedback from staff
Building occupants should be encouraged to
report any areas that are too hot, cold or
draughty. Investigating problem areas can help
to identify maintenance issues and if people feelthat these are being addressed, they are less
likely to open windows whilst heating or cooling
is on, or use portable electric heaters or fans to
make their workspace more comfortable.
Use meetings and internal communications to
remind staff of simple actions they can take to
save energy (and therefore reduce carbon
emissions) in their day-to-day work.
Systems
Keep systems clear and unobstructed
Poorly placed furniture can obstruct radiators,
fans and ducts, reducing their capacity to keepwarm air circulating in the space. Keep fans
and ducts clean and replace any filters at the
manufacturers’ recommended intervals.
Maintain boilers and pipework
Have boilers serviced regularly by a reputable
firm, in accordance with manufacturing
recommendation. A regularly serviced boiler can
save as much as 10% on annual heating costs.
Boilers, hot water tanks, pipes and valves should
be insulated to prevent heat escaping. Most will
pay back within a few months of installation,
with additional savings in subsequent years.
Did you know?
Some facilities managers have reduced
their building’s heating costs by 30%
through implementing some of the simple
energy saving measures outlined here.
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Consider CHP and district
heating opportunities
On sites with high or constant heat
demands throughout the year such as MoDestablishments with swimming pools or
residential accommodation, it may be beneficial
to operate a district heating scheme and/or
to install a combined heat and power (CHP)
plant. Further information is provided in the
CHP section later in this guide (page 26).
Would heat pumps also be a good alternative?
Renewable energy systems such as biomass
boilers or ground source heat pumps are also an
option, and can qualify for payments within the
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) Tariff Scheme.
Control
Maintain appropriate internal temperatures
Control settings should reflect the activity taking
place in the space. Ensure that room
thermostats and radiator controls are on the
minimum settings required for comfort or
environmental control.
The recommended temperature for heating
government buildings such as libraries and
court rooms is 19-21°C but sedentary
occupants, such as those in offices, may prefer
the temperatures somewhat higher, say at
21-23°C. Lower temperature settings are
appropriate in laundries, where heat gains from
machines mean that it is appropriate to set
controls to 16-19°C, and sports facilities, where
people exercising will be more comfortable in
lower temperatures.1 Unoccupied storage areas
could be reasonably kept as low as 10-12°C.
When setting internal temperatures, consider
the outside conditions. In cold weather, staff
will be wearing warmer clothing so it may not
be necessary to heat as much. Heating should
be switched on or off depending on outside
conditions, rather than by set dates as is
common practice.
Ensure controls match building occupancy
Heating needs will vary throughout the day, so
check that the system’s operating hours match
the times when heating is required. Useprogrammable time switches to help automate
this process and review time settings every
month or so to check that they are still correct.
Many systems function inefficiently because
someone made a short-term adjustment and
then forgot about it.
1 Source: Environmental Design CIBSE Guide A, 2006.
Further information
Technology overviews
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
(CTV046)
Low temperature hot water boilers (CTV051)
Technology guide
Heating control (CTG065)
Top tip:
Discourage staff from using thermostats
as on/off switches. Turning them
to maximum does not speed up the
heating process, it just results in an
overheated space.
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Weather compensation and optimum
start controls
Some heating systems can adjust themselves
in response to the UK’s changeable weather. Acompensator is a form of control for heating
systems that automatically regulates the heating
temperature based on the weather. An optimum
start controller learns how quickly the building
reaches the desired temperature and brings the
heating on at the optimum time prior to building
occupancy, again depending on the weather.
These types of controls can save energy, reduce
carbon emissions and pay back their investmentin just a couple of years. Consult a qualified
heating technician to discuss the range of
options available.
Building Energy Management Systems
A building energy management system
(BMS or BEMS) is based on a network of
controllers and offers closer control and
monitoring of building services performance,
including heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
This is shown on a computer screen in real
time and allows settings to be changed quickly
and easily. A BEMS can reduce total energy
costs by 10% or more and could repay the
capital investment in less than five yearsso they are well worth considering.
Zoning
Some areas in larger buildings require different
levels of heating (or cooling ventilation). A solution is
to create ‘zones’ in the building where separate time
and temperature controls are installed. Zoned areas
will provide closer control which improves comfort
conditions and saves on costs.
Zoning is ideal for areas of the building
where there are:
• Different occupancy patterns.
• Different temperature requirements
due to different uses.
• A number of floors (particularly where
top floors are poorly insulated).
Prisons and multi-storey civil buildings are
usually excellent candidates for zoning.
Top tip:
Adjust timers so that the building
reaches optimum temperature just as
people arrive and begins to cool down
as they leave. This can be achieved by
gradually altering settings over a numberof days and checking the building’s
temperature at various times. This can be
automated with weather compensation
and optimum start controls, where
BEMS/BMS are installed.Heating costs rise by about 8% for every 1°C of overheating
Case studyHM Prisons
A prison fitted time switches and
isolating valves to the heaters in its
kitchens, allowing heating to be switched
off when the space was unoccupied.
This measure cost £1,000 yet recovered
savings of £6,000 in the first year and
still achieves year-on-year savings
for the prison.
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Ventilation and cooling
Providing building occupants with comfortable
internal temperatures and adequate fresh air is
achievable – and getting it right can save money.
Mechanical ventilation and air conditioning is
increasingly specified for new government
buildings or retrofitted to older buildings during
refurbishment. This is predominantly to
counteract the increase in heat-gains from
lighting and office equipment. The more heat
that is generated, the harder the ventilation and
cooling systems have to work to maintain the
desired temperature which, in turn, consumes
more energy.
Is air conditioning really necessary?
Investigate cheaper cooling options before
making the decision to install a full air
conditioning system,2 as precise control
is not usually necessary in UK buildings.
Natural ventilation and free coolingAs simple as it sounds, natural ventilation and
cooling relies on airflow between openings on
opposite sides of a room or building – or rising
warm air being replaced with cooler air sucked in
through windows or vents. In many government
buildings, it may be possible to use windows
and doors to provide good levels of naturalventilation, allowing mechanical ventilation to be
switched off or turned down to save money.
When opening vents, doors and windows,
always consider security implications.
Night cooling
The lower outdoor temperatures at night can
cool a building well into the following day, thus
delaying the switching on of air conditioning.This is known as ‘night cooling’ and is useful in
buildings that rely heavily on air conditioning, and
in older buildings such as some prisons and court
rooms. Always ensure that security is considered
carefully before opening vents or windows.
Control settings
Ventilation requirements may vary at different
times and in different parts of a building
throughout the day. Check that operating times
for ventilation and cooling systems are
consistent with the occupancy patterns of the
building and are set at the appropriate levels.
Maintain system components
If regular maintenance is not carried out, the
effectiveness of ventilation systems can fall by
up to 60%. Dirty or faulty fans, air ducts and
components directly affect system efficiencyand will increase running costs and risk of
breakdown. The performance of the whole
system should be reviewed annually and
replacement parts ordered as necessary.
Always consult a maintenance technician.2 The true definition of an ‘air conditioning system’ is one which has the ability to control temperature, humidity and air
quality within precise limits, yet the term is often applied to systems which simply cool the space. These cool air systems
are more correctly referred to as ’comfort cooling’.
Further information
For more information about
alternatives to air conditioningand efficient cooling systems.
Air conditioning (CTG005)
Did you know?
Natural ventilation and free cooling can
halve energy costs.
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Set a dead band
Heating and cooling should not operate at the
same time – though they frequently do because
of poor control. Avoid this by setting a
temperature ‘dead band’ – a wide gap betweenthe temperatures at which heating and cooling
cut in. For example, in a typical government
office, the heating might be set to switch off
when a temperature of 19°C has been reached
and cooling would be set to come on only after
the temperature exceeded 24°C.
Recover heat from exhaust air
Heating air costs energy and money; this is
wasted if the air is allowed to leave the building
unnecessarily. It may be possible to reduce thewaste by simply re-circulating a proportion of the
exhaust air with the fresh air. More advanced
solutions allow the heat from exhaust air to be
used to pre-heat fresh incoming air. Investigating
this simple principle is particularly worthwhile for
larger buildings.
Fit variable speed drives
Government buildings incorporating ventilation
systems may not need fans operating at full
speed all of the time. Variable speed drives(VSDs) reduce costs by matching the fan speed
to the actual ventilation requirements throughout
the day. This reduction in speed saves energy
and there are corresponding heating and cooling
cost savings too.
Safety first
Effective ventilation is essential for the
comfort and safety of occupants, and
is in some cases, subject to legislation.
Always seek professional advice when
looking to change ventilation systems.
Further informationTechnology guide
Variable speed drives (CTG070)
Top tip:
Check that cooled air is not escaping
through opened windows and gaps in
the building fabric. If it is, you are
wasting energy – and money.
Figure 4 Diagram of ‘dead band’ control providing recommended temperatures
Cooling is on whentemperature exceeds 24ºC
Heating and Coolingboth off between 19ºC and 24ºC
– a ‘dead band’ of 5 degrees
Heating is on untiltemperature reaches 19ºC
0ºC 5ºC 10ºC 15ºC 20ºC 25ºC 30ºC 35ºC 40ºC
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Lighting
A well-lit environment is essential for staff to be
effective and safe. In many buildings, however, lights
are responsible for a great deal of energy wastage.
Lighting can account for up to 20% of total
energy costs in a government building so there
is significant potential to make savings and
reduce carbon emissions. There are many
simple and inexpensive ways to reduce the
energy consumption and costs associated with
lighting without compromising safety or comfort.
‘Switch off’ policy
Lights in government buildings often remain on
much longer than necessary. Involve staff at all
levels in making savings. Simple actions includebriefing staff in meetings and appointing people
to make sure that lights are switched off at the
end of the working day. Raise awareness –
stickers for switches and awareness posters are
available from the Carbon Trust. Don’t forget to
involve cleaning and security staff in this, and
think about changing cleaning regimes to ensure
equipment isn’t left on unnecessarily.
Avoid blinds down and lights on
Blinds are designed to control glare when it is
bright outside, but inappropriate usage can
result in occupants turning on internal lightsunnecessarily, which is clearly wasteful.
Encourage staff to use blinds to redirect daylight
onto the ceiling and walls where possible, which
should reduce solar heat gains along with the
need for electric lighting in the area. Once the
sun moves away, blinds should be opened
rather than leaving lights on.
Did you know?
Without regular maintenance, light levels
can fall by up to 30% in 2-3 years.
Establishing a basic lighting maintenance
programme can reduce costs by up to 15%
as well as improving internal ambience
and appearance.
Further information
Technology overview
Lighting (CTV049)
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Label light switches
Label light switches clearly to help staff to select
only those lights they need. Lights in unoccupied
areas should be switched off, except wherethere are health and safety implications, such as
in corridors or stairwells. Remember to provide
information to staff about where lights must not
be switched off.
Maintenance
Lighting is essential for providing a pleasant
and productive working environment so it is
important to keep windows, skylights and light
fittings clean. Encourage occupants to report
failing lamps and replace them promptly. This
will help maintain the desired light output and,
in turn, provide a safer working environment.
Keep controls in good working order by ensuring
timers are set to match occupancy hours and
that occupancy sensors are clean.
Occupancy sensors
Occupancy sensors ensure lights only operatewhen there is somebody there to require them.
Sensors can achieve savings of up to 30% on
lighting costs and are especially useful in
storerooms, toilets and meeting rooms. They are
not appropriate for general areas where people may
not be moving frequently enough to be detected.
Reduces brightness
at the window
Ensures light distribution
deep into the interior
Protects from heatand glare
Provides a viewoutside for staff
Maintains the natural daylight spectrum
Diffuse overhead light
Direct sunlight
Figure 5 Using blinds to reflect daylight
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Switching in parallel
Install separate controls for lights that are parallel
to windows. Doing so enables occupants to make
the most of natural daylight without leaving those
spaces further away from the windows in
shadow. As a result, less lighting is needed which
reduces energy consumption and also cuts down
on additional heat generated by the lights, which
means that less cooling is required.
Install low energy lighting
Upgrade any standard (tungsten) light bulbs to
energy efficient versions. Compact fluorescent
lamps (CFLs) are usually a good choice for most
government buildings: they use 75% less
energy, produce less unwanted heat and last
8-10 times longer, or LEDs, which use up to
80% less energy and provide around 50,000
hours of use.
Replace blackened, flickering, dim or failed
fluorescent tubes with tri-phosphor coated
versions, as stated on the packaging. Tri-phosphor
or multi-phosphor coatings provide a more natural,
brighter light for the whole life of the tube. If the
tubes are 38mm (1.5 inch), replace them with
slimmer 26mm (1 inch) tubes.
Metal halide, mercury fluorescent and high-
pressure sodium lamps are efficient options for
exterior lighting such as car parks and high bay
buildings such as hangars and warehouses. These
lights are suitable for a range of applications.
Specify high frequency electronic control gear
for fluorescent lighting systems and mirror
reflectors whenever fluorescent lighting is to be
replaced. This will reduce energy use and heat
output, eliminate flicker and hum, extend lamp
life and can allow dimming - all of which can
improve environmental comfort.
Daylight sensors
Like occupancy sensors, light sensors (or
photocells) save money and energy by switching
off artificial lights which are not necessary,
in this case, when there is sufficient natural
daylight. As daylight hours vary throughout the
year, sensors provide closer control and can
achieve substantial savings. Where high-
frequency fluorescent lighting is installed,
sophisticated light sensors can dim the light
rather than switch it off completely. With the
right lamps, daylight sensing controls are also
useful for external lighting in car parks and can
often pay back their costs in less than a year.
Top tip:
Specify high frequency fittings with
mirror reflectors to help fluorescent
tubes last longer and eliminate flicker
and hum. Mirror reflectors allow the area
to be lit by fewer tubes as more light is
provided into the space than would be
provided by plastic diffusers.
Fluorescent tubes use only a few seconds’ worth of power in start up –
therefore, it is always better to switch them off when leaving a room.
Case studyHM Prisons
A prison replaced old 38mm fluorescent
tubes with 26mm ones in the prison kitchen.
All the diffusers and reflectors were also
cleaned. This increased lighting levels in the
area allowed 25% of the lamps to be removed.
This resulted in savings of £2,000 a year
for an initial investment of £90.
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Existing lamp type Uses Energy efficient option Energy saving/
benefits
Application notes
Tungsten light bulbs General lighting and
task lighting. Also
commonly used
in domestic
applications
Replace with compact
fluorescent lamps
(CFLs), or LEDs, in
the same fitting
75-80% saving plus
longer lamp life
Attractive, modern CFL and
LED replacements may also
be acceptable for display and
feature lighting
38mm (T12)
fluorescent tubes in
switch-start fittings
General lighting
commonly used in
prisons, warehouses,
laboratories,
workshops and
office spaces
Replace with
equivalent 26mm
(T8) triphosphor
fluorescent tubes
of lower wattage
Up to 15-20%
saving plus longer
lamp life
Good for general lighting
throughout the Government
Estate, but even better
used with modern fittings
(see below)
High-wattage filament
lamps or tungstenhalogen lamps as
used in floodlights
Commonly used to
light external areas,ornamental features
and building facades
Replace with metal
halide, LEDs, or highwattage compact
fluorescent lighting
65-75% saving plus
longer lamp life
Appropriate for flood
lighting, high bay lightingand external lighting
Mains voltage
reflector lamps,
filament spot and
flood types
Commonly used for
spot lighting and
display lighting in
areas that require
bright light and good
colour rendering.
Commonly found in
reception areas and
public areas
Replace with LEDs or
compact metal halide
discharge lighting
50-80% saving for
equivalent lighting
performance
Where compact metal halide
or LEDs are not appropriate
then low voltage tungsten
halogen spotlights can reduce
lighting energy by 30%, with
further savings available by
using 35W infrared coated
(IRC) bulbs instead of the
standard 50W bulbs.
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Existing lamp type Uses Energy efficient option Energy saving/
benefits
Application notes
Fluorescent fittings
with the old 2ft 40W,
and 8ft 125W
fluorescent lamps
General lighting,
commonly used in
court buildings,
prisons, MOD
buildings, computer
facilities and offices
Replace with efficient
fittings using
reflectors/ louvres
or efficient
30-45% saving
with much improved
lighting quality.
The use of high
frequency electronic
control gear
eliminates flicker,
hum and
stroboscopic effect
Reduction in flicker
and hum is appreciated
by building users
Fluorescent fittings
opal diffusers or
prismatic controllers
which are
permanentlydiscoloured
General lighting,
commonly found
in older buildings
requiring
refurbishment suchas prisons, courts
and in areas such
as corridors and
building entrances
Replace with new
prismatic controllers
or replace complete
fittings as above
No reduction in
energy consumption
but increases the
amount of light by
between 30% and60%
General lighting levels
can be improved leading
to a more attractive and
efficient workspace
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Office and small power equipment
The growth of ICT equipment across the
Government Estate accounts for a significant
proportion of electricity bills. Civil buildings aregood candidates for saving energy and reducing
carbon emissions, although the presence of
computers in most government institutions
means that there are opportunities to make
savings in all departments.
Electrical equipment can account for up to 20%
of the energy used in government offices.
Turn off and power down
It is not necessary for most appliances to remain
permanently switched on, so encourage staff to
turn them off and enable power-down modes. As
well as saving on energy consumption, this will
reduce the heat produced by equipment which, in
turn, lowers cooling costs. Further benefits
include extending the lifespan of the equipment
and reducing maintenance costs. Ensure all staff
members are aware of switch off policies and
inform them of the cost and environmental
benefits of putting this into practice.
Communal equipment
When it comes to printers, fax machines
and copiers, some simple actions can make
all the difference:
• Place heat-emitting equipment in a separate
naturally-ventilated area with good airflow.
This helps minimise air conditioning costs
and excessive noise. Colder areas on the
north side of buildings are ideal.
• Check and clean equipment regularly.
Keep parts clean and free of dust and
blockages and follow manufacturers’ advice
on servicing schedules in order to maintainoptimum efficiency.
• Install plug-in seven-day timers. These only
cost a few pounds from DIY stores and will
help to reduce the likelihood of machines
being left on out of hours.
• Set machines to revert to standby when not in
use. Take care though; machines with a very
deep-sleep mode can take longer to reach the
right temperature which can result in staff
disabling the standby feature, thereby missing
out on savings.
Did you know?
A single computer and monitor left on 24
hours a day will cost around £53 a year.
Switching them off out of hours and
enabling standby features could reduce
this to less than £11 a year and prolong the
lifespan of equipment.
Further information
Technology overview
Office equipment (CTV005)
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Purchase for requirements
Specify equipment that meets current and
predicted requirements. Do not over specify
as high-performance office equipment can use
more energy. Take running costs into account
and ensure that purchasing policies consider
energy consumption rather than just the initial
capital outlay.
When it comes to upgrading computers, some
computers can simply be fitted with newer, more
energy efficient components so it’s worth looking
into this option before purchasing new machines.
The Government Procurement Service hasintroduced ‘Greenticks’ to help identify ICT
products which meet best practice standards
and those which meet the highest standards
for sustainability.
Ensure all new items of equipment have
energy saving features meeting at least
Energy Star performance specifications. Visit
www.eu-energystar.org to find out more.
Equipment in specialist buildings
Government institutions such as MoD bases frequently employ specialist facilities.
These inevitably use a significant amount of energy which is exacerbated by the factthat much of the equipment needs to remain permanently switched on to fulfil specific
process requirements.
In order to make a realistic plan for energy reduction and to monitor it accurately, it is
important to sub-meter these buildings and, if possible, measure the process energy used.
The facility can then be treated as a regular building with regards to energy saving.
When it comes to monitoring and assessing these savings, the sub-metering data
will help keep the consumption of specialist equipment separate.
See the Carbon Trust’s Metering Technology overview (CTV061) for more informationon metering and sub-meters.
Further information
Office Equipment Technology Overview
(CTV005)
Top tip:
Consider using laptops as they have been developed to be as energy efficient as possible.
Using laptops and docking ports can maintain familiar desktop arrangements of mouse,keyboard and monitor combinations and increase workspace flexibility.
Note: Although laptops are a convenient and eff icient alternative for mobile or intermittent
working, there are health and safety issues related to prolonged usage, such as cramped
hands and posture.
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Building fabric
Wherever heat is escaping through the walls,
floors and ceilings of a building, energy is being
wasted. It therefore makes sense to includebuilding fabric as an integral part of any energy
saving plan.
Improving building fabric in the Government
Estate is beneficial for a number of reasons:
• It enables better temperature control –
improved building fabric can lower
ventilation costs and prevent overheating.
• It can improve productivity – staff moraleand output can be enhanced by providing a
more comfortable working environment
through reducing draughts, solar glare,
overheating and noise.
• Improved building fabric lowers capital
expenditure – a more efficient, well-
insulated building needs smaller heating
and cooling systems.
• It makes a good investment – better
insulation can increase a building’s value
and attractiveness.
Figure 6 Heat loss from a typical central government building
Windows
26%
Walls
9%
Roof
22%
Floor
8%
Ventilation andair infiltration
35%
Further information – historical buildings
Further information and advice specific to buildings of historical significance can be found
in the Heritage and culture sector overview (CTV026), available from the Carbon Trust.
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The following advice provides some general
guidance applicable to the wide range of types
and ages of buildings in the Government
portfolio. More detailed information can be
found in the Carbon Trust’s Building fabric
technology overview (CTV015).
Regular maintenance
As part of general maintenance, identify potential
problems and deal with them promptly. Compile
a checklist to address areas where energy is lost
via the building structure and note where building
fabric needs repair or upgrade. In particular, gaps
or holes in walls, windows, doors and skylights
should be repaired immediately.
Be pre-emptive. For example, pay attention toevidence of damp, which causes significant
damage to the building structure and reduces its
insulating properties. Repair split down-pipes,
faulty gutters and leaky roof tiles. Check for
signs of damp and condensation at least once a
year, preferably prior to winter months.
On larger government sites, it may be beneficial
to draw up a detailed schedule for facilities
groups to implement as part of their planned
preventative maintenance checks. Every
department should work together to reduce
energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Insulate to accumulate
Around 25% of a building’s heat escapes
through an un-insulated roof, adding hugely to
heating bills. Insulating any roof spaces and
unfilled external cavity walls is an effective and
inexpensive way of reducing such heat losses.
Improve glazing
Double glazing with emissivity glass is now a
minimum requirement when replacing windows.
Specifying triple glazing with emissivity glass on
north facing or exposed sides of a building can
offer further comfort and energy savings.
Windows can have a coating applied to
improve insulation properties. Coatings that
allow daylight through but block or reduceheat (infrared) can be particularly effective at
lessening overheating from direct sunlight.
Highly glazed spaces are a
particularly common
feature of 1960s buildings, many of which
populate the Government Estate. In these areas,
it may be more effective to replace some of the
glazing with insulated blank panels. Although
doing so will reduce the amount of light entering
the space, it will provide better insulation and
can reduce heat-gain and glare associated with
a large area of windows.
Draught lobbies
Installing a draught lobby at frequently used
entrances can reduce heating costs and draughts.Design lobbies so that they allow unrestricted
access, with enough space for one set of doors
to be fully closed before the other is opened.
Where possible, automate both sets of doors.
Top tip:
Before making substantial changes,
always seek specialist advice for
individual structures, particularly
older buildings.
Top tip:
Install draught stripping to windows
and doors. Draught stripping can reduce
heating costs by up to 10% and pay back
any investment within a year or two.
Around 25% of a building’s heat escapes through an un-insulated
roof, adding hugely to heating bills.
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Catering
Catering in the Government Estate can be a major
energy consumption area, particularly in MoD
institutions and prisons. This energy use canalmost always be reduced without compromising
hygiene, safety or quality standards.
Preparing food on site has a significant effect
on energy consumption so it is important to
implement as many efficiency measures as
possible. In fact, these can often have the
additional benefit of improving standards
and the working environment.
Raise awareness
Every member of staff should be involved in
reducing energy consumption, so raising
awareness and providing training is an excellent
starting point and could reduce energy use by
25%. The following simple actions can have
substantial paybacks:
• Do not switch on too soon – most modern
catering equipment reaches its optimum
temperature quickly. Label equipment with its
preheat time and educate staff to switch on
only when required.
• Avoid using kitchen equipment to warm thespace on staff arrival – the building’s heating
system should do this effectively. If it does
not, find out why.
• Switch off grills, fryers and hobs immediately
after use.
• Avoid overfilling saucepans and kettles and
use lids where possible.
• Keep fridge and freezer doors closed anddefrost at manufacturers’ recommended
intervals to save energy and prolong
equipment lifetime.
• Switch off equipment, lights and extraction
fans when they are not being used.
• Move storage fridges and freezers out
of kitchen areas into well ventilated,heated spaces.
Consider running costs when purchasing
Although gas-fired equipment is often more
expensive to buy than electrical or steam
equivalents, savings made on running costs
make it an attractive option. Equipment that
automatically switches off, such as pan sensors
on hobs, can save 25% on energy costs.
Select ovens with large double glazed viewing
windows to reduce the need to open doors
to inspect contents.
Top tip:
If items are centrally purchased, ensure
the facilities team incorporates
environmental awareness into its policies
and that energy saving equipment is
specified across the whole site.
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Sub-metering
Sub-meters will help identify cost savings and
justify any investments required in order to lower
running costs in catering departments. If catering
is provided by a separate contractor, there is also
the additional benefit of allowing for budget
allocation and charging to take place. This acts as
an incentive for kitchen managers to reduce
energy costs by providing some financial reward
for doing so.
Consider heat recovery
Large volumes of warm air are expelled from
kitchens. Many kitchen managers do not realise
that over 50% of this heat can be recovered
using heat recovery devices which can
significantly reduce energy costs. An air-to-water
recovery device is often the most effective
method of recovering heat because it can then
preheat hot water, providing a year-round use for
the recovered heat.
Case studyHM Prisons
A large prison with a catering energy bill of £45,000 a year purchased a modern efficient
oven, fitted automatic door closers to much of its cooling equipment and replaced worn
door seals on refrigerators and freezers. These measures cost £11,400 but with annual
savings of £6,700 the investment was repaid in less than two years.
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Combined heat and power (CHP)
CHP can offer an economical method of providing
heat and power which is less environmentally
harmful than conventional methods.
CHP is the simultaneous generation of heat and
power in a single process. CHP equipment
usually burns fossil fuel such as natural gas or
diesel oil to generate electricity on-site.
At a power station, the heat generated when
electricity is produced has to be dissipated via
cooling towers. With CHP, the heat is recovered
on-site, and used for space heating and hot
water. This means that overall, the process is
more efficient, so less fuel is used.
To gain maximum benefit from CHP, the system
needs to be in operation for as many hours of
the year as possible. Therefore, CHP can be
applied to any Government Estate building or
site provided it has a significant, year-round
demand for heat. An MoD facility with a
swimming pool would be an ideal candidate for
CHP. Similarly, prisons and other large MoD
facilities may be good candidates depending on
their hot water and heating requirements.
However, not all sites are suitable for CHP, nor
will they have good payback. Make sure that the
site is investigated properly, including a
complete financial and technical appraisal from
an expert.
Information for sites withoutCHP installed
When to consider CHP installation
The best time to consider CHP in existing
buildings is when the heating plant is being
replaced, so that the CHP unit can be integratedwith the heating system. The commercial value of
the electricity and heat produced by a CHP unit is
greater than the combined cost of the fuel and
maintenance required for the system to operate.
Understand existing heat and
electricity loads
When considering CHP, it is important to
carefully assess its application and feasibility.
Space requirements should be considered, along
with a detailed evaluation of the system’s
engineering, economics, reliability and operation.
To justify the cost of investment, the aim should
be to maximise the use of all the heat and hot
water that the system can produce. Every
building is different and therefore a detailed cost
calculation is essential. This assessment should
be made only after other, more simple energy
efficiency measures outlined in this guide havebeen implemented.
Investigate funding opportunities
If budgets cannot stretch to investing in CHP,
explore options for third party funding. Energy
services and contract energy management
options absorb the initial cost and risks
associated with installation, maintenance and
operation of a CHP unit. Charging arrangements
vary but under certain contracts it is possible to
only pay for fuel used by the CHP unit and
receive the heat for free, as well as paying a
reduced price for electricity.
Did you know?
CHP can have financial, environmental
and strategic benefits. A well-designed
and operated CHP plant can reduce
carbon dioxide emissions. However, CHP
schemes represent a significant long-
term investment and so the economics
need to be studied carefully before a
decision is made.
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Information for sites withCHP installed
Maintenance issues
CHP systems require regular maintenance to
ensure efficient operation and reduce the risk ofbreakdown. Major maintenance should be
carried out as part of a planned shutdown. When
deciding on the timing and duration of a
shutdown, always consider cost implications
such as for labour and materials required to carry
out the planned work as well as additional costs
of meeting the site’s heat and power
requirements from other sources. For smaller
installations, shutdowns are normally undertaken
by the CHP supplier who also maintains the unit.
Monitor performance
A CHP system should be monitored to ensure it
is operating correctly. Look out for factors that
affect performance such as changes in output
and fuel consumption, air temperature and
pressure in gas turbine installations. It is also
important to monitor the rate that system
performance changes as this provides a basis for
planning maintenance tasks and plant overhauls.
Always explore why performance is failing to
meet the specification as this could indicate
maintenance requirements. It will also be
reducing the cost effectiveness of the system.
Meet CHPQA requirements and avoid
paying the climate change levy (CCL)
Monitoring data collected can be used to
demonstrate compliance with the necessary
quality standards for exemption from the CCL.
Metering installed for CCL registration must
be able to differentiate between heat used by
the site and heat rejected to atmosphere via
a cooling system, so ensure meters are
positioned correctly to achieve this.
Consultancy advice
Consultancy support is available from the
Carbon Trust to help evaluate the feasibility
of CHP. Contact the Carbon Trust on 0800
085 2005 for more information.
‘Good Quality’ CHP
Exemption from the Climate Change
Levy for ‘Good Quality’ CHP is based on
certificates issued by the Government
CHPQA programme. Good Quality CHP
is that which meets the threshold criteria
in the Combined Heat and Power Quality
Assurance (CHPQA) programme
standard. The standard is intended to
ensure that the energy efficiency and
environmental performance of a CHP
scheme are superior to the generation
of the same amounts of heat and powerby separate conventional means.
For more information, and for details of the
monitoring requirements for the CHPQA
programme, visit www.chpqa.com
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Renewable energy
Energy generated from buildings-integrated
renewable sources can be a viable alternative to
conventional methods of supplying electricalpower and heat to some buildings in the
Government Estate. Some renewable energy
systems qualify for payments within the
Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and Feed-in
Tariffs (FITs).
Some renewable energy systems qualify for
payments within the Renewable Heat Incentive
(RHI) and Feed in Tarrifs (FiTs).
What is renewable energy?
Conventional fuels such as oil, gas or coal are
extracted from finite reserves. However,
renewable energy sources:
• Come from a source that can be readily replaced,
such as wood or another organic material.
• Are a natural flow of energy that will not run
out for millions of years, such as sunlight and
the movement of the wind and sea.
• Add very little or no ‘new’ carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere (e.g. wind or solar power generate
no emissions at all and the CO2 from burning
sustainably managed wood fuel is ‘neutral’
because it is balanced by the amount that the
tree removed from the atmosphere as it grew).
As well as reducing greenhouse gas emissions,there are other good reasons for using
renewable energy technologies:
• The growth of renewable energy increases
diversity in the UK’s energy supply and
increases the lifetime of fossil fuel reserves.
• Renewables help to ‘future-proof’ energy
supplies because they are not subject to the
price fluctuations of globally traded
commodities such as oil and gas.
• A growing renewables sector creates jobs in
manufacturing, installation, operations and
maintenance and in the case of biomass
energy, a local fuel supply.
The type and age of a building, as well as any
additional land requirements need to be
considered before incorporating renewable
energy solutions. Many technologies functionbest when integrated into new buildings from
the design stage; however, there are others
which can be retrofitted on existing property.
Supplying energy for governmentbuildings – the options
Since the main objective is to minimise the
amount of energy needed to run buildingservices, careful design of new buildings or
refurbishments should take full advantage
of ‘passive’ measures such as:
Passive (solar) heating
Heat from the sun directly warms the
building fabric and reaches the interior
surfaces through windows.
A good design will trap useful heat in thebuilding (particularly in winter) and minimise
summertime overheating whilst reducing
or eliminating the need
for mechanical (‘active’) heating or cooling.
A good design will also make effective use of
the heat generated by the building’s occupants
and electrical equipment.
Passive ventilationA carefully planned design can take advantage
of the natural buoyancy of warm indoor air plus
air movement outside to maintain a comfortable
flow of air through a building without the need
for fans or air conditioning.
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Natural daylighting
Another application for passive solar energy
is a well-planned natural daylighting strategy
that incorporates moveable shades to minimise
glare, reflective blinds to throw light further
into a building or even reflective ‘light pipes’ to
supply daylight where previously electric lights
would have been used. Straightforward use
of sunlight coming through windows can be
improved by giving careful consideration to
the direction in which windows face. Interior
finishes in pale colours and paint textures help
by allowing diffusion of the reflected light. In
bright sunlight, shading and control of glare areimportant for comfortable working conditions.
The next step is to consider using a renewable
source to supply electricity or thermal energy.
Options include:
•Photovoltaics (PV), particularly on the roofsof public buildings; useful in remote locations
and as a standalone power supply.
• Small wind turbines to supply power for
offices, or large-scale wind power on remote/
large sites (possibly in combined public/private
ownership and service supply agreements).
• Solar thermal systems to heat hot water
and augment space heating.
• Heat pumps for space heating.
• Biomass heating, perhaps coupled with
combined heat and power (CHP) plant
and possibly as part of a community
heating system.
• Small scale hydro and wave power or tidal
flow installations at suitable coastal sites.
The following table indicates the type ofrenewable energy that would be worth
considering for a variety of applications.
Further information
Technology overviews
Renewable energy sources (CTV010)
Case studySunderland
The Solar Office
The Solar Office in Sunderland is the
first office building in the UK to deploy
a photovoltaic façade – one of a number
of features in the building’s holistic
energy strategy.
The PV façade, which is 646m and 18m
high, is raked back at an angle of 60
degrees. This helps to maximize solar
radiation on the panels. Annual output is
around 55,000 kWh, representing an
annual CO2 saving of around 24 tonnes
compared to grid electricity.
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Table 1 Selecting a renewable energy source: by building and project type
Technology Wind PV Solar hot
water
Biomass Hydro Energy Wave/tidal
from waste
Office estate
Existing buildings 3 33 3 3
Refurbishment 33 33 33 3
New build 33 33 33 3
Adjacent land 33 3
Accommodation
Existing buildings 3 333 3
Refurbishment 33 333 33 3
New build 33 333 33 3
Adjacent land 33 3 3 (supply) 3
Large estates with land resources
General 3 3 3 3
Remote locations 33 3 3 3
Site specific 3 3 33 33
3Suitable 33Well suited 333Very well suited
3C l
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Water usage
Provision of hot water is essential for many
Government Estate buildings but it can lead
to considerable energy costs. However, wateris a metered and controllable resource and
it is possible to save on both water and energy
costs by implementing some inexpensive
efficiency measures.
Figure 7 Offices – percentage cost
Any rooms within government buildings that have
running water are areas that could hold significant
energy and cost savings. Particularly pay attention
to high water-using facilities such as kitchens,
laundries and residential accommodation.
In fact, through implementing some of the advice
provided in this section, it is possible to save up to
50% on water costs. Approximately 90% of this
water usage can be subject to water saving devices.
An indication of the likely savings can be made by
comparing water use with benchmarks. Various
water consumption benchmarks are available
including various Environment Agency benchmarksfor sectors and activities; overall usage for offices
published by CIRIA; and typical breakdown of water
use for public administration and defence published
within the Market Transformation Programme.
Maintain pipes and taps
Inspect water services including taps, storage
facilities and pipework on a regular basis and
ensure all drips are fixed immediately. Check for
water vapour, flooded ducts and corrosion
around joints or fittings on pipework. If a leak is
underground, it may be harder to spot so read
water meters regularly.
Run an awareness campaign
Encourage staff to report any issues such as
dripping taps, overflowing cisterns and
inefficient water saving devices in toilets so they
can be repaired before the problem escalates.
Check hot water temperature
If water is too hot to keep hands under the tap,
ask a maintenance technician to reduce the
temperature. Accepted standards are 50°C
(120°F) or less for hand-washing and 55°C
(130°F) for washing utensils. Every 1°C
reduction in water temperature will reduce
energy consumption by 1-3%.
WashingCleaning
Canteen useWC flushing
Urinal flushing
Top tip:
Readings taken when water is not in use
can help spot smaller leaks early. Water andsewage charges account for approximately
15% of running costs for most buildings
and leaks will drastically increase water
bills. Each cubic metre of water saved
will reduce costs by around £2.
Further information
For more advice on reducing
your water usage, go to
www.envirowise.co.uk/water
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Laundries
Some larger Government Estate institutions
such as prisons and MoD facilities have
laundries on site. These areas are oftensignificant energy consumers and so savings
made here can improve overall budgets.
Laundry equipment uses large amounts of
electricity, mainly to drive electric motors. In fact,
the electricity used in a laundry can account for as
much as 15% of a site’s total energy consumption.
Energy efficiency measures taken in this area
primarily centre around efficient operation, water
re-use and mechanical maintenance.
Recycle water
The re-use of water has the advantages of
reducing the metered water supply, reducing
trade effluent charges and conserving energy.
Investigate the possibility of re-using rather than
discarding hot water – for example, by using
water from the final rinse for the next pre-wash.
‘Grey water’ from laundries may also be used to
flush toilets but a detailed feasibility study will be
needed first before such measures can be
implemented. Always seek professional advice.
Use integrated water and heat
recovery systemsMajor savings can be achieved by recovering
heat from waste water using heat exchangers.
These systems can effectively preheat incoming
water to the laundry indirectly through plate heat
exchangers (see diagrams right) or more directly
to recycle heated water from previous washes.
There are two key water recovery methods for
washer extractor systems:
Single water recovery – involves sending the
final rinse water to a tank and using it as a
source of water for the first rinse and/or washes.
The first rinse water is dumped to the drain, as
are the wash waters.
Double water recovery – involves sending the
final rinse water to a tank and using it in the first
rinse. The first rinse water is then sent to a first
rinse tank and used for the washes.
Note: Double recovery is not suitable for use in conjunctionwith hypochlorite bleaching as the bleach is applied in thefirst rinse and any contaminations of the main wash coulddamage the fabric.
Laundries are often significant
energy consumers, so savings
made here can improve
overall budgets
Fresh water
Fresh
water
Prewash
Drain Drain Drain
Wash 1st rinse 2nd rinse
Fresh
water
Prewash
Drain Drain
Wash 1st rinse 2nd rinse
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Recover heat from hot liquid effluent
Heat recovery from the wash effluent is
applicable to both washer extractor and tunnel
washer systems. The basic method involves
passing the wash effluent through a heat
exchanger and using the extracted heat
to heat the final rinse water.
Lag pipework
A basic measure but extremely important
in order to avoid wasting heat through un-
insulated pipes. Always ensure that steam
and hot water pipes as well as valves and
flanges are properly lagged.
Fit humidity sensors to dryers
Avoid wasting energy by over-drying laundry.
Install humidity sensors to automatically turn
dryers off when laundry is dry.
Use direct gas firing of tumble dryers
Gas tumble dryers offer the greatest production
capacity – up to 20% higher than an equivalent
steam model. Despite possible higher capital
costs, gas tumble dryers can be cheaper to run
and they do not suffer the idling losses incurred
by their steam equivalents.
Use direct gas firing of finishing equipment
Tunnel finishers are usually heated either with
gas or steam. Items progress through the tunnel
on hangers; after being sprayed with steam to
relax the fibres, hot air is blown vigorously
downwards to encourage crease removal.Conducting this process using direct gas firing
ensures minimal waste heat and damaging
emissions. The same applies to garment
presses and other finishing equipment.
Install calendar covers
Items such as sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths
and napkins are passed through calendars under
pressure, to be ironed or pressed. Using a
calendar cover or hood will minimise the amount
of energy lost to the atmosphere and improve
the working environment.
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Housekeeping andpeople solutions
Energy savings and reduced carbon emissions
are easily achievable across the GovernmentEstate and need not require any initial outlay.
Many opportunities are within the control of
building occupants which is an ideal way of
involving people and raising awareness
of the importance of reducing consumption.
Remind everyone that good energy
management helps to achieve:
• Environmental benefits.
• Healthier and more productive
working conditions.
• Cost savings.
• An enhanced image which can be promoted
to the general public.
Whether starting an energy conservation
programme from scratch or simply checking
the effectiveness of an existing managementsystem, there are a number of basics to consider.
Responsibility and commitment
To implement a change in practice effectively,senior management through to front line staff
must be committed to energy efficiency.
This should be backed up by a personalised
mission statement and energy policy. It is also
important to appoint an ‘energy champion’. In
small buildings, this may be the office manager
but on larger sites, appointing a specific staff
member will often improve involvement and
awareness throughout the team.
Get everyone involved
All staff members are important in saving
energy so provide training on how to reduce
waste and operate controls correctly. Motivate
people – ask their opinions and encourage
them to review their own working practices
to increase energy savings.
Below are some simple ways that staff
can help.
• Cleaning staff can report any faulty lamps
and only use lighting where it is required.
• All building occupants can feed back on areas
that are overheated, where doors and windows
are not closing properly, or where lighting or
equipment is being left on unnecessarily.
• Maintenance staff can monitor and adjust
control settings to meet, but not exceed,internal requirements for heating.
• Ensure everyone knows it is their
responsibility to check equipment
is switched off at the end of the day.
• Managers can investigate current and
past energy use and continue to monitor
energy consumption.
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g
Run an awareness campaign
Reinforce the benefits of improving the working
area and give staff a sense of ownership of
energy management by running a campaign.
Post consumption figures on an energy
notice board and advertise related activities.
Competitions, campaigns and team
projects are great ways to get buy-in.
Monitor energy use
Understand your energy consumption
by reviewing energy invoices over the last
year – this should provide a picture of the
building’s monthly performance. Largergovernment buildings generally have meters
recording half-hourly electricity consumption
and these data should be available from the
energy supplier for comparison with the bills.
However, if the building does not have a
half-hourly electricity meter, check and record
monthly meter readings on-site. It is also
advisable to check and record monthly gas
consumption in the same way.
Further information
The Carbon Trust’s Creating an awareness campaign guide (CTG056) includes a staff
survey, useful tips, posters and stickers.
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Undertake regular housekeeping
walk rounds
Note down and act on any maintenance
measures needed in order to avoid expensive
problems later on. As patterns of energy use
vary throughout the day, it is advisable to carry
out a series of walk rounds at different times to
get a better idea of where and when energy is
being wasted. Regular walk rounds can help to:
• Establish current operating practices.
• Eliminate wasteful practices and ensure
they do not recur.
• Identify maintenance and investment
opportunities for savings.
• Involve staff and raise awareness of the
importance of reducing energy consumption.
• Demonstrate commitment to improving
energy performance.
The Carbon Trust’s leaflet Assessing the
energy use in your building (CTL003) provides
hints, tips and a sample check list that can be
tailored to individual sites.
Check energy use out of hours
If a building is empty overnight, it is worth finding
out how much energy is being used when no-one
is around. Take meter readings at the end of one
day and the beginning of the next. The difference
between the two is the energy used. Is this more
than would be expected?
Further information
Technology overviews and guides
Metering
(CTV027)
Energy Management
(CTG054)
Management resources
Creating an awareness campaign
(CTG056)
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The link between energy efficiency
and value for money
Value for money must be assessed over the
whole life of the PPP/PFI contract, taking into
account not only initial purchase costs, but alsoon-going running costs such as energy and
maintenance. This can easily be done using
whole life financial assessment methods such
as discounted cash flow.
Investment in energy efficiency both at the outset
of the contract (for example, by installing more
efficient plant), and over its life (for example, by
adopting more rigorous maintenance regimes),
will often deliver improvements in value for
money. This is because over the life of the
contract the value of the fuel consumed by
building services plant (for example, heating
boilers), will be far greater than the initial purchase
cost of the equipment itself. A small additional
investment in energy efficiency can therefore
yield far more substantial running cost savings.
The diagram right illustrates how value for
money can be improved by investing in energy
efficiency. Note, however, that simply choosing
the cheapest piece of equipment or undertaking
only minimal plant maintenance is unlikely to
deliver best value for money. Basic levels of
investment in energy efficiency will yield
excellent returns.
Figure 8 Value for money when investing in energy efficiency
Investment in energy efficiency
V a l u e f o r m o n e y
Optimum investmentfor best VFM
100
120
80
60
40
20
0
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Action checklist
Action Progress
Take a holistic approach to building services – consider heating, ventilation and lighting as
part of an overall efficiency strategy.
Set internal temperatures appropriately.
Check controls match occupancy, and consider investing in more sophisticated controls.
Ask if air conditioning is necessary? Look for opportunities to use natural ventilation.
Set a dead band so that heating and cooling do not operate at the same time.
Keep lights switched off when not used, and maximise the use of daylight.
Keep light fittings clean and replace failing lights immediately.
Install low-energy lighting.
Install lighting control technology, such as sensors which detect light levels or movement.
Train staff to turn off computers and set equipment to standby.
Purchase office and small power equipment to suit requirements.
Maintain the building fabric to avoid expensive repairs later on.
Improve insulation of walls, roofs and glazed areas.
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Next StepsOnce the opportunities for savings have been identified, it’s time to act.
The following steps should help to take effective measures.
Step 1 Understand your energy use
Look at the building and identify the major areas
of energy consumption. Check the condition and
operation of equipment and monitor the power
consumption over, say, one week to obtain abase figure against which energy efficiency
improvements can be measured.
Step 2 Identify your opportunities
Compile an energy checklist. Walk round the
buildings and complete the checklist at different
times of day and night to identify where energy
savings can be made. The action checklist on
page 30 could form the basis of the walk round.Further tips can be found in Assessing the
energy use in your building (CTL003),
available from the Carbon Trust.
Step 3 Prioritise actions
Draw up an action plan detailing a schedule of
improvements that need to be made and when,
along with who will be responsible for them.
Step 4 Seek specialist help
It may be possible to implement some energy
saving measures in-house but others may
require specialist assistance. Discuss the
more complex or expensive options with a
qualified technician.
Step 5 Make the changes andmeasure the savings
Implement energy saving actions and measure
against original consumption figures. This will
assist future management decisions regardingenergy priorities.
Step 6 Continue to managebusiness energy use
Enforce policies, systems and procedures to
ensure that the buildings operate efficiently and
that savings are maintained in the future.
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Further services from the Carbon TrustThe Carbon Trust advises businesses and public sector organisations on their opportunities in
a sustainable, low carbon world. We offer a range of information, tools and services including:
Website – Visit us at www.carbontrust.com for our full range of advice
and services.
www.carbontrust.com
Publications – We have a library of publications detailing energy saving
techniques for a range of sectors and technologies.
www.carbontrust.co.uk/publications
Case Studies – Our case studies show that it’s often easier and less expensive
than you might think to bring about real change.
www.carbontrust.co.uk/casestudies
Carbon Trust Advisory – Delivers strategic and operational advice on
sustainable business value to large organisations.
www.carbontrust.co.uk/advisory
Carbon Trust Certification – Delivers certification and verification services to
companies and runs the Carbon Trust Standard and Carbon Reduction Label.
www.carbontrust.co.uk/certification
Carbon Trust Implementation – Delivers services to business in support of
implementation of energy efficient equipment and energy efficiency financing.
www.carbontrust.co.uk/implementation
CTV062The Carbon Trust is a not-for-profit company with the mission to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy.
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The Carbon Trust receives funding from Government, including the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Scottish
Government, the Welsh Government and Invest Northern Ireland.
Whilst reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the information contained within this publication is correct, the authors,
the Carbon Trust, its agents, contractors and sub-contractors give no warranty and make no representation as to its accuracy
and accept no liability for any errors or omissions. All trademarks, service marks and logos in this publication, and copyright in it,
are the property of the Carbon Trust (or its licensors). Nothing in this publication shall be construed as granting any licence or
right to use or reproduce any of the trademarks, services marks, logos, copyright or any proprietary information in any way
without the Carbon Trust’s prior written permission. The Carbon Trust enforces infringements of its intellectual property rights
to the full extent permitted by law.
The Carbon Trust is a company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales under company number 4190230
with its registered office at 4th Floor Dorset House, Stamford Street, London SE1 9PY.
Published in the UK: March 2012.
© The Carbon Trust 2012. All rights reserved. CTV062
We provide specialist support to business and the public sector to help cut carbon emissions, save energy and
commercialise low carbon technologies. By stimulating low carbon action we contribute to key UK goals of lower
carbon emissions, the development of low carbon businesses, increased energy security and associated jobs.
We help to cut carbon emissions now by:
• providing specialist advice and finance to help organisations cut carbon
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