GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — A regional project team (RPT), established to develop a Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code (REEBC), will be launched in Jamaica, next week.

The launch will be held March 30-31 and the RPT is tasked with developing the REEBC, as well as its associated application documents and minimum energy performance standards for buildings.

Nine Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago – are represented on the RPT which consists of 19 members.

The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat said that the RPT will review the minimum energy performance standards for buildings as proposed by consultant, Solar Dynamics, in their final report of the consultancy on the Development of Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) for public and commercial buildings in CARICOM countries.

The team will also review the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) in an effort to adapt it, where necessary, and present for acceptance and adoption by member states as a Regional Energy Efficiency Building Code.

“This development comes against the background of steps CARICOM has been taking to implement energy efficiency measures and renewable energy resources into their energy mix. The much-needed economic transformation, energy independence and security and the reduction of environmental effects from the combustion of fossil fuels, are expected to flow from the implementation of these measures,” the Secretariat noted.

It said in general, energy efficiency measures are highly cost-effective as investments and all stakeholders in the region need to re-examine the way in which energy is used and to identify ways of using energy more efficiently.

The energy intensity index in CARICOM is higher than the energy intensity index of the world and about two and a half times that of the European Union. A continued focus on energy efficiency practices can help mitigate the increase in the atmospheric temperatures and climatic changes over the years.

The CARICOM Energy Strategy recommends a 33 per cent reduction in energy intensity to be applied in all CARICOM Member States by 2027, the CARICOM Secretariat said.

It said the REEBC is expected to address all of the aspects of energy use in buildings which comprise of, but are not limited to: thermal performance requirements for walls, roofs and windows; day lighting, lamps and luminaire performance; energy performance of chillers and air distribution systems; the electrical wiring system; solar water heating; appliances; renewable energy; zoning of buildings, climate classification and building energy management systems.