Investigating EE Practices

This study concludes that government employees in general have adequate or high level of knowledge, awareness and practices on Energy and Energy Efficiency (EE). The study also reveals that the knowledge and awareness on EE is quite high at home (91% of respondents), due to their understanding on the impact of using high energy including cost implication on their income, their knowledge on environmental impact (global warming) and their concerns on high government spending on energy (more then 70%). However there was inconsistency in their EE practices. About 87% says they practice EE at home but only 53% practice in their office. Although they aware about inefficient EE practices in their office (44%), but the drive to initiate EE individually is low. The main reason is due to the poor implementation program of EE at departmental level. Only about 26% of the government employees say there is a memo on EE circulated to remind them to practice EE in their office and
from that population, only 28% says the EE program is implemented (about 7% of the total respondent). And 24% says there is an EE campaign in their office and there is 5% project on EE.
Although the government has developed national policies on EE, officially announced and implementation of National EE Month which started from 1st November 2007, but only 29% are aware about the program. This study strongly recommends that the government should be focused on EE implementation program at all level of government ministries, agencies and departments. Since the potential to reduce energy in government building is obvious as proven by programs and projects carried out by PTM and the study reported by Henrik Rytter Jensen (October 2000), EE program through good housekeeping can save millions of government utility cost. This study also concludes that several approaches are important to be implemented such as through strong regulations, trainings and through EE campaign and talks in government offices.
Finally we believe that the government policies on EE and Energy Conservation objectives could not be achieved successfully without clear and systematic implementation of Energy Conservation Program throughout government offices nationwide. The program should not only promote awareness but also improve knowledge and practices on EE among government employees through budget allocation to implement program and consultancy projects. Finally it is also important that in every office, EE programs should be lead by the top management officers of all agencies and monitored continuously to ensure at least 10% electricity consumption reduction at all government agencies can be achieved as decided and documented in government 2006 budget ellaborated in previous paragraph.