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Council aims to cut energy costs

Thursday 21 July 2011, 2:44PM

By Auckland Council

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AUCKLAND

Auckland Council is walking the talk when it comes to making an effort to save energy with a range of initiatives at its own facilities.

The Environment and Sustainability Forum this week heard an update on a programme aimed a reducing operational and energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Among the priorities identified are:

  • Establishing an energy and utilities data management service
  • Installing metering systems in more than 50 council sites to provide real-time use data to site managers to help them increase efficiency of utility use
  • Staff engagement, education and participation campaign


It’s believed the improved information in addition to expert advice and action by property managers and staff could save electricity and gas costs by 10 percent over the next three years.

“This is a significant target given the size of the council, with the potential savings of over a million dollars a year,” says forum chair Councillor Wayne Walker.

“If we are asking the community to make changes to be more energy efficient, as a council we need to take the lead, walk the talk so to speak.

“We are doing that through a range of ways including the retrofit your home programme but we are also empowering our own staff through our sustainable champions programme, which attracted more than 150 people,” says Cr Walker.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) will pay up to a 50 percent subsidy on the capital and installation costs of real-time meters to assist sites to achieve energy reductions.

Auckland Council inherited around 1800 electricity and gas accounts from legacy councils (excluding CCOs).