DOE strengthens drive for energy efficiency in buildings and technologies

Manila Bulletin 
By Myrna M. Velasco 
Published: July 7, 2013 
Establishments embracing energy efficient lifestyles and technologies, including those for buildings, could yield cost savings and can help in power investment avoidance, especially for a country confronted with thinning power supply.
This is the recurrent theme being propagated by the Department of Energy (DOE) as it steps up the country’s energy efficiency drive through enforcement of “green-inspired design” in buildings.
At the recently concluded Building Green 2013 conference, a latest version of the Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (BERDE) Green Building Rating System (GBRS) was launched by stakeholders.
The energy department explained that the BERDE-GBRS will be enforced “to measure, verify and monitor the environmental performance of buildings that exceeds existing mandatory regulations and standards.”
It has been emphasized that “various case studies coming from the commercial, residential and public sectors were presented” including those on pilot projects, as well as strategies and standards to showcase the benefits of embracing energy efficiency ventures.
“Aside from lighting, BERDE considers energy efficiency in all aspects, including air, water and waste in buildings to create a healthy environment for users and improve their quality of life,” the energy department has explained.
It was further noted that the Philippine Energy Efficiency Program-Efficient Buildings Initiative (PEEP-EBI) “aims to show the societal benefits of implementing a series of energy efficiency projects in different sectors.”
The department added “it was put in place to accelerate the implementation of a green building rating system by streamlining existing green building initiatives in the property sector.”
The DOE thus reiterated that its self-designed PEEP, in general, has been targeting to “reduce electricity consumption by 243 megawatts.”
The cut in carbon footprints will redound to 172,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent while the expected monetary savings could reach as much as P3.2 billion.
The Department of Finance (DOF) earlier sounded off support to the DOE initiative, noting that it will help integrate energy efficiency in the country’s policy agenda.
In various occasions, Energy Undersecretary Loreta G. Ayson enthused that “great potential for energy savings can be derived” with the rollout of various energy efficiency solutions and technologies.
Yet she emphasized that “for government to succeed, everyone has to participate and investments have to come in,” to support the vision of creating significant improvements in the country’s energy consumption. (MMV)   source