Implementing the national target program on energy conservation and Decision of Tien Giang People's Committee on the implementation of energy efficiency in local area in period 2008 – 2015, Energy Efficiency Center - Department of Industry and Trade has organized various activities to promote efficient energy use in industry, especially in small and medium enterprises. In order to raise awareness of energy efficiency in the office, Tien Giang has used many bold solutions in a number of office buildings.

The energy efficiency activities have produced positive results, promoting the national target program and significantly improving the awareness of energy efficiency of citizen in general and of officers, employees in Tien Giang in particular.

Survey results in some office buildings show that the majority of office workers have developed a high sense of power saving in workplace. People now know to take advantage of natural light and wind, build up a habit of switching electrical devices power following the rules, turning off lights, computers before leaving.

First of all, at the Headquarter of Department of Industry and Trade, the EEC conducted an examination to evaluate the actual energy consumption, which will be used as the basis for bringing out the most suitable solutions.

The results show that, with floor area of 655 m2, total power consumption of the building in 2008 was 8.3 thousand kWh; in 2009 was 15.6 thousand kWh. The average power consumption was 12.7 kWh per square meter per year. Although the building used 97 T10 – 40W fluorescent lamps of 1.2 meters long and 33 sets of 32W box lamps, the lighting quality did not meet the standards.

To fix the problem and at the same time target a lower amount of electricity consumption, the Department decided to replace the entire 97 fluorescent lamps with T8 – 36W lamps and 3.5W Electronic Ballast; and 33 sets of box lamps with 9W compact lighting lamps. This simple measure helps the building save 2.5 kWh per hour, i.e. more than 62.7% of power consumption and also helps significantly improve lighting condition, with the average gain of 23.2%. Annoying flickering light at work also no longer occurs.

Only by simply upgrading the lighting system, each year the Department of Industry and Trade of Tien Giang saves about 5.6 thousand kWh equivalent to over VND8.8 million. This is a very simple and easy to achieve method, requiring low initial investment (only VND9.4 million) that can be recovered after just 12 months.

In addition, replacing broken CRT screens with LCD screens and setting suitable operating mode for office equipment such as photocopier, scanner, fax machine can save about VND2.5 million per year.

Similarly, the office of Tien Giang Pensioners’ club (ward 1, My Tho city) also decided to upgrade its old lighting system to energy saving bulbs in order to improve lighting quality as well as reduce power consumption. The office consists of just 2 stories with only a few officers, but the amount of energy consumption here is still large due to the club’s characteristic of having frequent meetings and various activities involving tens of people.

By replacing the entire 90 T10 - 40W fluorescent lamps and 4 T10 - 20W lamp sets with power saving lamps with lower power consumption but higher lighting performance, the club has saved over 8 million dong per year equivalent to 53% the amount of electricity consumption for lighting.

Having conducted energy audit since 2008, the Headquarter of Transport Department of Tien Giang now has become a unit carrying out very well the energy efficiency program. Survey results at the time of audit show that the average power consumption here was about VND80 million per year. With such a large figure of power consumption, energy saving was very necessary.

With support from the Tien Giang Center for Energy Efficiency and Center for Energy Efficiency Research and Development - ENERTEAM, Tien Giang’s Department of Transportation has found out many effective solutions such as using energy saving light bulb, enhancing the air conditioning system, replacing CRT monitors with LCD monitors. In particular, after replacing fluorescent lamps with energy saving light bulbs the office has saved 3.11 kWh per year, equivalent to VND3.5 million. The proper adjustment of Air Conditioning equipment has saved 10 - 20% the amount of power consumption.

Tien Giang is a province attracting many businesses in a variety of industries, therefore the annual electricity consumption in the province is very large. Arranging a strict Energy Efficiency Program is necessary to reduce production costs and increase labor efficiency, which are essential for provincial economic development.

Energy efficiency practice in office is an example of a successful promotion of the program in the area. This is an encouraging start for further success of the program, pushing other citizens and businesses to save energy. The model of energy efficiency at office should be widely applied in other areas to expand the influence of the national target program on economical and efficient use of energy on people’s life.

By Nguyen An