The public sector has announced cumulative savings to the value of €250 million for the period between 2009 and 2013. The savings included a 14 per cent energy efficiency improvement in 2013, worth €74 million in savings to the exchequer.
These figures are according to Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) who today (27 April) published the first Annual Report on Public Sector Energy Efficiency Performance. Over 230 public bodies with a total energy spend of €558 million, reported, representing 85 per cent of the estimated energy consumption of the public sector.
One of the first reports of its kind internationally, it is set in the context of Ireland’s EU and national commitments and wider climate change goals, whereby a target of 33% energy efficiency improvement is to be achieved by Irish public bodies by 2020.
Efficiencies have been achieved through implementation of projects ranging from structured energy management, building and facility upgrades, retrofits, changes in transportation, better energy procurement and through behavioural change within organisations.
Communications, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alex White said public bodies should be at the forefront of effective energy management in order to play their part in tackling climate change and to maximise savings, which can be redirected to much-needed public services.
Cork City Council announced as the smarter travel workplace of the year
The winners of the inaugural Smarter Travel Awards were also announced this week with Cork City Council being announced as the smarter travel workplace of the year. These new awards recognise and celebrate the efforts that workplaces and campuses make to promote sustainable travel.
“Cork City Council’s vision is for a prosperous and sustainable city, and sustainable travel is at the very core of this concept,” said Ian Winning from Cork City Council.
“We seek to influence travel demand patterns and choice to support an integrated and sustainable transportation system, and to reduce congestion and emissions, so the best demonstration of this commitment is to lead by example and reduce the City Council’s own carbon footprint for business travel in Cork,” Winning added.
Awards were presented in 14 categories across different modes of transport, sustainable champions and overall workplace and campus. University of Limerick took the lead amongst third-level institutions, taking home the award for Cycling Campus of the Year, Student Union of the Year, Sustainable Champions of the Year and Smarter Travel Campus of the Year. Winners in the workplace categories included St. Vincent’s University Hospital who won Cycling Workplace of the Year.