Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 295: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress his Department has made in achieving this 33% target of energy efficiency in the public sector; if energy use in buildings under the responsibility of his Department is being monitored; if so, the person by whom it is monitored; the recent trends; if buildings under the responsibility of his Department are being retrofitted to improve energy efficiency; if there are capital budgets for energy efficiency measures in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13120/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department relies on the Office of Public Works for the provision of accommodation including maintenance and refurbishment, which includes the provision of efficient heating and lighting in offices. The Department, endeavours to operate heating and lighting systems in the most efficient manner.

The OPW already has an energy awareness programme underway in all large State Buildings including those occupied by my Department. Based on an advanced pilot programme completed last year this is expected to achieve 15% savings on an annual basis. This energy reduction programme is the first step in achieving the 2020 target of 33%. My Department has also appointed an Energy Officer who will have responsibility for implementing any recommendations made under the programme.

The progress to date has mainly been putting the energy awareness programme in place and it is expected that it will be several months before any quantifiable progress will be evident. It is expected that considerable progress will be made in the next heating season beginning next September.

An essential part of the energy reduction plan is to monitor energy usage. The OPW provides a monitoring service to this Department using a web based logging system which has been installed in advance of the energy awareness programme in the targeted State buildings.

For the present there is no OPW programme to undertake refurbishment work solely on the basis of energy conservation. It has been advised by the OPW that such a programme may be necessary in the future. However where refurbishment is necessary or planned energy saving will be considered in the designs and any reasonable or economic improvements shall be incorporated.

There is no capital budget for energy efficiency measures in this Department as, under the Department of Finance guidelines, such a budget is appropriate to the Office of Public Works.