CIBSE acts on consultation to reduce electricity demand
CIBSE is enlisting the help of members to prepare a response to the consultation on reducing electricity demand announced by the Department for Energy & Climate Change. A statement from CIBSE says, ‘With the UK facing the worst energy-supply crisis in living memory, there has been much talk about how the Government intends to address infrastructure and supply issues, but little focus on demand reduction. As such, we believe this to be the most important energy-related consultation of our time.’
A dedicated task force is being assembled to gather views across the industry, the supply chain and sectors. This approach is seen as critical to preparing the most robust and authoritative response to ensure ministers fully grasp the technical and engineering imperatives at the heart of the issue.
CIBSE has evidence that simple improvements in building performance could contribute a 10% saving in energy usage on the £110 billion that has been allocated for increasing energy supply — amounting to £11 billion.
Ofgem predicts that by 2015/16, the margin in UK installed energy capacity will have fallen from 14% to 5%, or even lower. The worst-case prediction is 1%.
Whilst maintaining that action on energy efficiency is long overdue, CIBSE welcomes the consultation as ‘better late than never’. The response is intended to inform ministers and policy makers about a range of common-sense options that are already available using existing engineering and technology knowhow.
