The Save@work project focused on how to reduce energy consumption in the office by encouraging staff to make small changes to their everyday behaviour.
The public sector is often at the forefront of climate initiatives. Save@work targeted public sector buildings to demonstrate what it is to be a climate conscious organisation and employer. A year-long campaign took place in 14 public offices in Southeast Sweden. It focused on the value of behaviour changes in driving forward energy efficiency, about bringing staff together and both educating and encouraging them in how they could reduce the energy usage of their office building – it wasn’t about investing in expensive technologies. Each building set up an energy team, a group of individuals from across the organisation who were the driving force of the project. An online tool was developed onto the energy usage was compared with a base line. On the tool the % changes were monitored. After 1 year the buildings with greatest energy savings in % were chosen as winners. Energy saving tips were sent to the energy teams looking at different aspects of energy usage. They were also provided with materials and incentives: posters, stickers, thermometers, energy monitors and chocolate. Categories: greatest energy saving (%), best energy saving campaign and best revised action plan.
Results in Southeast Sweden:
1:st Markaryd cityhall 20% savings
2:nd Mörbylånga cityhall 12% savings
3rd Mörbylånga social department 10% savings.
Best energy plan and Best revised action plan Mörbylånga municipality. The municipalities implemented the campaign as a part of their strategic work.
Resources needed
The resources from the participating competing buildings was approx. 10-20 h/month during the campaign, depending heavily on size and engagement
Evidence of success
The results in Sweden: -255.151 kWh, a reduction of 9,9%
Difficulties encountered
The success rested heavily on the Energy Team. Every business has a different culture, what may work well in one will be completely disregarded in another. The experience indicated that if the engagement is written in the departments plans, staff feel empowered to embrace it and make it work.
Potential for learning or transfer
The project was piloted with the public sector but could be applied to any office building, all you need is an energy team with the enthusiasm to make it happen and resources for funding a management team to support them.
The tools and experience from the save@work campaign are well described and the material is availble online.
The campaign can be copied or used in selected parts.
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Tags: Finance, Instrument, Community, Action plan
