KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley, says the Government is leading by example and saving money as it works to encourage Jamaicans to use energy responsibly.

He noted that through various initiatives under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Programme (EECP), the aim is to ensure that government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) become a model for the rest of the society in terms of energy management.

 “We believe that if we as the public sector show the rest of Jamaica how we are saving as it relates to managing electricity, (by) cutting down our electricity bill, it will not only act as a perfect example but also you will see the workers within the public sector bringing to their homes, their communities, the practices that we are doing within the public sector,” he said.

Wheatley was speaking at a ceremony for the relaunch of the JPS Foundation Energy Club at the Merl Grove High School in Kingston yesterday.

He informed that the Government has realised $135 million in savings to date under the EECP.

The initiative, being implemented by the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) through funding from international partners, aims to retrofit a range of government facilities, including public health, administrative and educational buildings, and facilitate training in best practices for energy efficiency and conservation.

Some of the conservation measures undertaken include coating glass windows/doors to reduce the amount of heat entering buildings; improving the cooling system by using more energy-efficient air-conditioning units; and installing cool-roofing systems.

Over 40 government facilities from the health, finance, education and security sectors have, so far, been retrofitted with solar-control film, cool-roof solutions or energy-efficient air-conditioning systems.

To ensure continued responsible energy use at government facilities, Dr Wheatley pointed out that just last month, an Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EEC) Standards Guide was launched, which contains standards to which MDAs will be held accountable in order to lower electricity consumption.

The guide, which will be made available in April, was developed through the EECP.