DECC HQ slashes energy use

26th July 2012

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has been awarded a new, improved Display Energy Certificate (DEC) rating of ’C’ for its headquarters building.

A DEC is measure of the energy efficiency of a building, which is rated on a scale of A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least.

On moving into 3 Whitehall Place in Autumn 2008, it had a ‘G’ rating. Since then DECC has made improving its energy efficiency and carbon emissions a priority, including the publication of its first ever Carbon Management Plan in July 2011.

Greg Barker, Minister of State for Climate Change said:
"The new higher DEC rating of “C” represents a great achievement for the Department over the last four years. Only 23% of commercial buildings are rated C or above."

"Since 2008, the Department has cut its HQ building’s energy consumption by 60% and slashed carbon emissions by half. This is even more impressive when you consider that staff numbers in the building have risen since DECC took it on."

"With the right commitment, large organisations can make a big difference to their overheads and to their environmental impact, and DECC’s achievement is proof of that."

Based on current energy prices, we estimate to have saved around £156,000 in 2011/12 on energy bills as a result of the savings achieved, and expect to see even higher savings in 2012/13.

The Department has mainly achieved its new and improved rating through various building management projects, including:

• the introduction of more occupancy controls on lighting in the building:
• the installation of intelligent boiler load optimisation control units to two gas-fired boilers and;
• the installation of variable speed drives to supply fans.

The new DEC rating runs out in July 2013. In order to maintain this rating, there are a number of energy saving projects planned for the coming year that are estimated to shave a further 4% of the footprint of 3 Whitehall Place.

To find out more about our carbon saving projects planned until March 2015, please refer to DECC’s revised Carbon Management Plan here.