Public Sector Buildings Programme

The Green Paper on Sustainable Energy outlines the need to make significant energy savings in the public sector as part of the wider obligation to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions. In that context the government decided in July 2001 to require all public sector Departments, agencies, non-commercial state bodies, health boards and local authorities with responsibility for new building construction or major refurbishment to use best practice in both materials and technology and to avail of opportunities being promoted by Sustainable Energy Ireland. In addition, all government departments and state bodies are required to report annually in their Annual Reports to Government and the Oireachtas (the two houses of Irish Parliament) on measures to reduce energy usage in buildings occupied by them. The programme consists of the following complementary schemes: - The Economic and Social Infrastructure Operational Programme within the framework of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 provides EUR 12.7 million for energy efficiency initiatives in public sector buildings. - The Design Study Support Scheme provides financial support of EUR 2.02 million to public sector bodies for the purposes of procuring external professional expertise to examine and report on the technical and economic feasibility of energy efficient design and technology solutions in new building and refurbishment projects. - The "Model Solutions" Investment Support Scheme provides investment assistance of EUR 9.08 million to selected projects undertaken by public sector organisations. - A scheme to provide financial support of EUR 1.6 million to energy management bureau operations to encourage the development of energy management service companies to provide off-site energy control and management for public sector buildings has been launched. The installation of a comprehensive Building Energy Management System is central to the success of the energy conservation programme for state buildings. This system concept developed with the support of SEI will facilitate rapid collection and analysis of energy data relating to the 150 largest government department buildings. Sustainble Energy Ireland administers these schemes and plans will be developed by them to extend the example given by public sector buildings to the private commercial sector. The programme is closed for funding new projects.

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