(Taguig City) A projected annual savings of Php 20 million is foreseen as the Government Building Retrofit component of the Department of Energy’s Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP) will be implemented in 35 government buildings. As of January 16, 2012, the existing lighting systems which are mostly T12s of 22 buildings have already been replaced with efficient lamps called T5 and efficient electronic ballast. To date, these 22 buildings which have been retrofitted will result to one (1) million kWh electricity reduction equivalent to monetary savings of as high as Php 10 million (at Php 10.00/kWh) per year.
The Government Building Retrofit is part of the efficient lighting initiative component of the ADB-supported PEEP. This component also includes the National Residential Lighting Program (NLRP), the Public Lighting Replacement Program (PLRP), and the carrying out of energy efficiency testing and lamp waste management which intends to expand the DOE’s existing testing laboratory and the establishment of a mercury waste management facility for recovery of mercury from used fluorescent lamps.
The 22 government buildings/agencies which have already benefited from the program are: National Dairy Authority, National Housing Authority, Environmental Management Bureau, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, National Food Authority, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Information Agency, National Telecommunications Commission, Philippine Coconut Authority, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Agriculture, Tourism Infrastructure and Entrepreneurship Zone Authority, Department of Tourism, National Electrification Administration, National Printing Office, National Irrigation Administration, Land Transportation Office, Department of Science and Technology, and National Economic Development Authority.
Other government buildings/agencies which will be retrofitted on or before February 2012 are: Department of Energy, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Health, Metro Manila Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Trade Industry-International Trade Group, Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, Department of Justice, Philippine Trade Training Center, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Finance, and the National Center for Mental Health.
PEEP Project Director, Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson, CESO I states that the final impact of the project will be reduced cost of power generation through the reduction of the peak demand since electricity cannot be stored therefore, its supply and demand has to be met instantaneously. She also maintains that adopting energy efficiency will be a key initiative as evinced by its “Bright Now! Do Right. Be Bright.” Campaign which was launched last December 2011.
The DOE also envisions that through PEEP, the Philippines will be able to establish a viable energy-efficiency model which could be replicated in other settings. “A pragmatic lifestyle change is also key to our campaign. It is not only about changing our appliance to more energy efficient ones but also to have these best practices inculcated in each one of us,” Usec. Ayson further said about the campaign on energy efficiency.
