17 June 2010 | Andy Allen
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and the Home Office have become the first UK government departments to reveal online how much energy their headquarter buildings consume in real time.
Energy used to heat and light the main offices of the DECC and the Home Office will be constantly updated in a display on the departments’ home pages.
The displays show the units of energy used, the actual cost per hour of the energy and carbon emissions per hour.
The DECC said all central government departments will follow suit in the coming months.
It follows a promise made by Prime Minister David Cameron to reduce carbon emissions from central government by 10 per cent in the next year.
Lynne Featherstone, minister responsible for sustainability in the Home Office, said: “The energy tracker will enable the public to see how the Home Office is working towards being a more energy-efficient department while reducing its carbon footprint.
“This demonstrates the government’s commitment to transparency and will allow the public to see how much we are spending on gas and electricity in real time. It will also drive efficiency and ensure we are delivering value for money.”
The displays can be seen via the homepages of the DECC and Home Office websites.
