Optimising Power @ Work is the OPW’s energy awareness campaign which aims to change staff behaviour towards energy use and eliminate energy wastage in buildings
Optimising Power @ Work (OP@W) is operated by The Office of Public Works (OPW) and runs in all large civil service and some Government buildings in Ireland. OP@W aims to change staff behaviour towards energy use and eliminate energy waste.
The key success factor of OP@W is that every building has been fitted with equipment that automatically logs energy usage. The data is used to set targets and prepare energy reports on individual buildings.
OP@W provides a range of tools, activities and support structures including an Energy Web Portal, designed to bring together the very best in technology, innovation and creativity. OP@W uses three key elements to support buildings and energy teams:
1. Technology – The use of dedicated Energy Monitoring Systems (EMS) has been central to collect data on electricity, gas, oil or LPG use every 15 minutes. The data is stored in OPW’s data repository and specialist software is used to prepare customised energy reports for each building
2. Specialist Expertise - An OP@W energy advisor is appointed to each building who assess the historic energy performance of the facility and sets energy saving targets. The performance of the building is measured against these targets, via the online EMS, and monthly progress reports
3. Staff Engagement - An active energy team is established in each building comprising key stakeholders. The OP@W energy advisor intensively engages with the energy team and staff to identify energy saving opportunities.
Resources needed
• OPW developed its own database to store energy data (Central Data Energy Repository – CEDAR) which is run by an energy consultancy firm
• The OP@W campaign in Central Government buildings costs approximately €1.1M per year. The annual energy savings from the campaign are currently €6.7M per year
Evidence of success
OP@W in Central Government buildings has achieved average annual reduction in energy of 20% across 275 participating buildings, making it the largest and most successful campaign of its kind in Ireland. OP@W achieved €6.7M per annum associated annual savings on energy costs. The associated total delivered energy savings are 61GWh per annum.
Potential for learning or transfer
This good practice has the capacity for transfer to other regions and Countries and could be customised or altered, as required. To date this good practice has been shared with all the project partners in EMPOWER and 1 of these regions have invited OPW to participate in their import workshops and confirmed that this good practice has influenced the policy improvement within their regional action plan for the EMPOWER project.
Please login to see the expert opinion of this good practice.
Tags: Action plan, Management, Systems, Public sector, Low-carbon
