Offices join hands in lowering energy consumption

BANGKOK, March 5 (TNA) - In an attempt to lower electricity consumption and save energy for the country, the private-run Thai Green Building Institute (TGBI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with seven major firms in refurbishing their offices aimed at lowering energy consumption. Ninnart Chaithirapinyo, Chairman of TGBI, said the institute had signed the MoU with seven companies including Toyota Motor Thailand Co., Ltd. and Kasikornbank with an objective to lower their electricity bills and save energy for the country. Ninnart said TGBI encourages offices to lower energy consumption by dispatching engineers and architectures and give advices to entrepreneurs to refurbish their offices in which energy consumption could be reduced by as much as 30 per cent. Energy consumption by factories and offices is projected at about 30 per cent of the total Thailand’s consumption presently and it is estimated that consumption in the country would rise between five to seven per cent annually while oil prices continue increasing, he said. TGBI expects that about 100 firms would join it in the scheme the first year. Participants would have to pay evaluation fees but they would be about 70 per cent cheaper than those charged in abroad. It plans to ask the Energy Ministry to help pay for bills. Meanwhile, Krairit Nilkuha, Director-General of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, said his department would cooperate with TGBI in the energy saving campaign and would issue a so-called building energy code which would require building owners to change electricity bulbs which could help save electricity bills by about 10 per cent. So far more than 100 firms have voluntarily joined the scheme, Krairit said. (TNA)