The UK Government has started publishing its energy use in real-time across all of its 18 Whitehall departments after admitting it has been guilty of “preaching and not acting on efficiency”.
The real-time display, which can be accessed by the public online, has been fast tracked in just three months after Prime Minister David Cameron announced central government would cut emissions by 10% over the next year.
Ministers Greg Barker and Francis Maude said going public about how much energy is being wasted is the first step to changing staff behaviour across the government estate.
Energy and Climate Change minister Greg Barker, who chairs the 10% government working group, said: “For too long Whitehall has been guilty of preaching and not acting on efficiency.
“Slashing energy waste in government needs to happen fast, as much for tackling the public finances as for climate change. Shining a spotlight on what’s being used in real time will help staff change their behaviour and the public hold us to account. We said we’d be the greenest government ever and we mean it.”
Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, who leads on the Government’s transparency agenda, said: “The publication of the real time energy figures today is yet another demonstration of our commitment to transparency as a Government.
“As with other transparency initiatives we urge the public to really hold our feet to the fire and make sure that we drive down our energy use as much as possible.”
The introduction of the real time energy displays is just one element of work going on across Whitehall to reduce carbon emissions. Savings are being achieved through common sense measures as simple as reducing the use of cooling systems and turning off IT equipment when not in use.
Real time energy meters help departments to identify when and where energy is being used and help them try and find ways to reduce that energy use.
Last month, Francis Maude and Greg Barker hosted a meeting at which they called upon the facilities management industry to help departments cut carbon emissions. At this event, the Government announced a new Energy Efficiency Code under which departments and facilities management contractors will work in partnership to cut carbon emissions and benefit from each other’s successful initiatives.
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