§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by Government Departments towards the target of improving energy efficiency by 15 per cent, in the five years ending in March 1996. [25184]
§ Mr. Robert B. JonesThe progress of the Departments during 1993–94 is shown in the tables and footnotes. Overall, a 6 per cent. improvement has been achieved which, in the light of increasing demands for energy, represents good progress. I am pleased to note that the performance of my Department shows a 9 per cent. improvement against the standard indicator, with far greater improvements on reducing CO2 emissions.
Energy management in individual Government Departments is a matter for Ministers responsible for those Departments. The Energy Efficiency Office of my Department provides information on good practice and monitors progress towards the target.
261Wand also their relative environmental impact. Fixed prices eliminate the effects of tariff changes, which distort the comparison of annual bills. Normalising by floor area helps overcome problems of changing estate size.
3. The average performance figure for the civil estate cannot be obtained simply by adding together the individual Departmental progress figures and dividing by the number of Departments. This does not allow for the large variations in total consumption. The correct figure can be obtained by calculating the value of the PI for the civil estate as a whole (eg total CO2 divided by total area), then calculating the reduction relative to the base year value.
4. Some Departments have revised earlier years' figures, which explains some differences from previously published results. Equally, some of this year's figures may be subject to revision.
5. Investment Figures relate only to clearly identifiable energy efficiency measures undertaken by Departments. Energy efficiency is also an integral part of all major construction projects, including building refurbishment and plant replacement carried out by Departments. However, separating out the energy efficiency component is not always meaningful; for example, a well designed energy efficient new building may actually cost the same or less than a conventional one.
6. Electricity generated on site, eg Combined Heat and Power, is not included under "electricity": but the input fuel to the generator is, of course, included. This therefore accords appropriate credit for CHP. Heating from the Whitehall District Heating Scheme is included.
7. All departments have greatly increased their use of Information Technology, but have not been allowed to offset the increased use of electricity as a result.
8. Expenditure on energy and investment figures are included for information only and do not form part of the Government estate target.
9. MAFF: Main Estate—Energy consumption has risen, as a result of a large increase in the use of Information Technology and business led demands of Agencies.
10. MAFF: Laboratories—Energy consumption has increased as a result of business led demand, and recent legislation which has required a number of old buildings to be replaced with air-conditioned buildings. Own investment in energy efficiency is included with MAFF Main Estate.
11. Customs and Excise: Progress figures partly reflect a widening of the basis for measurement as the Department overcomes problems with the collation of data. Operational changes have allowed greater use of buildings where Customs and Excise control the energy use instead of paying an energy-inclusive charge; this process is continuing and may affect future figures.
12. Education: Consumption is dominated by its headquarters building. This changed from a largely naturally ventilated building in the base year to a completely air-conditioned one, with a much smaller floor area, in 1991–92. This is the explanation for the large increase against the PI since 1992–93.
13. Environment: QEII Conference Centre is reported separately because of its business led demands.
14. Health: Consumption is dominated by its headquarters building. Since the base year this has changed from a largely naturally ventilated building to a fully air-conditioned one, explaining the large increase against the PI.
15. Home Office Prisons: Improved accommodation standards for prisoners are leading to increases in energy consumption.
16. ODA: Base year is 1991–92.
17. National Heritage: Newly formed in 1992 and moved to its own accommodation in 1993. Full year figures are not therefore available.
18. Scottish Office: Base year is 1991–92.
19. Scottish Courts: Base year is 1991–92.
20. Scottish Prisons: Improved accommodation standards for prisoners are leading to increases in energy consumption.
21. Social Security: DSS workload is increasing, affecting occupancy and offices are occupied for longer hours, increasing the use of energy. Electricity consumption has increased as a result of greater demands on the use of Information Technology, expansion in the use of air-conditioning and the upgrading of lighting levels. For example, electricity consumption has increased by 8 per cent. in the Benefits Agency, by 2 per cent. in ITS A, and by 125 per cent. in the CSA: CSA shows an exceptional increase because of the phased occupancy of buildings between 1992 and 1993 prior to full operation in 1993–94.
Table 2: Government Estate: Energy Efficiency Performance Percentage Reduction for 1993–94 Relative to 1990–91 Ministry of Defence Column 1 Energy Consumption Column 2 Energy Cost Column 3 Carbon Dioxide Column 4 Total CO2 Adjusted for Estate Changes and Weather Correction Adjusted for Weather Correction Civil 11 7 12 0 Navy 11 14 17 5 Army 8 8 12 12 RAF 10 6 11 19 Procurement Executive 27 18 25 25 Defence Research Agency n/a n/a n/a n/a Total 10 9 13 13 Notes:
1. The MOD estate is different in nature from the rest of the Government estate, and has been undergoing more radical changes. It is therefore treated in a slightly different way. In common with other Departments, the MOD has greatly increased its reliance on Information Technology, but in many areas, no allowance has been made for the resulting increases in electricity usage. Full data for years between 1990–91 and 1993–94 are not available, so the table shows a comparison between these two years. Positive figures denote progress, negative ones regress.
2. Floor area data cannot be calculated for the majority of the MOD estate. However, to allow comparisons with data from other Departments adjusted for changes in floor area, a proxy has been used. The figures in columns 1 to 3 have been adjusted by estimating changes in consumption resulting from buildings being added to, or leaving, the estate and making an appropriate adjustment to the gross data for years following the change.
3. Column 1 shows changes, after estate adjustments (see above) and weather correction, in energy consumption. This has been the primary measure used by MOD in its efforts to increase energy efficiency.
4. Column 2 shows changes, after estate adjustments and weather correction, in energy cost at "standard" fuel prices calculated in the same way as the civil estate.
5. Column 3 shows changes, after estate adjustments and weather correction, in carbon dioxide emissions.
6. Column 4 shows changes in total carbon dioxide emissions, after weather correction.
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Table 3: Government estate: energy efficiency performance Entire government estate Per cent. reduction for 1993–94 relative to 1990–91 Energy cost Carbon dioxide Adjusted for estate changes and weather correction Total CO2Adjusted for weather correction Civil departments, including agencies 0.3 8 1 Ministry of defence 9 13 13 Total 6 11 9 Notes:
1. This shows combined results for the whole of the Government estate based on the data in tables 1 and 2. It is not a simple average of the two, but reflects the proportion of total consumption represented by each part of the estate (see third note to table 1). The Ministry of Defence is the major user of energy on the Government estate, using some 70 per cent. of the energy consumed.