Key industry figures are questioning the viability of the Government's pledge to cut emissions from its own buildings by ten per cent within the next 12 months at a time when it is committed to slashing public spending.
In the past, installation of low-carbon technologies to reduce emissions has been viewed by government as an expensive and disruptive option, says Aiden Salter, managing director of energy-efficient lighting specialist Energys.
“If David Cameron wishes to achieve his green goals while also upholding his commitment to cut the deficit, he must focus on retrofit technologies that are proven to save carbon at a cost-effective rate,” comments Salter. “At Energys, we have already worked with numerous public sector organisations, helping police stations, hospitals and schools to slash their electricity bills by hundreds of thousands of pounds.
"Our ‘Save It Easy’ retrofit device allows simple conversion of fluorescent light fittings to accept energy-efficient lamps, providing savings of up to 65 per cent in lighting energy.”
Salter argues that since retrofit technologies tend to have a rapid rate of payback — Energys says its Save It Easy system typically pays for itself in one to two years — they can open the door for long-term energy savings without financial sacrifice.
