The six-month energy reduction targets set for federal government buildings last year are becoming structural and the energy saving measures permanent, the ministers for the Civil Service and the Buildings Agency announced on Sunday.
Last year, the government approved a plan to reduce energy consumption in federal buildings. The aim was to reduce consumption by 15% compared with the average over the last five years. The temperature in all federal public buildings has been lowered to 19°C in winter, and in summer the air conditioning will be set to a maximum of 27°C.
Lighting in federal buildings and monuments is also switched off between 19:00 and 06:00.
A mid-term review (from October to December 2022) shows that “after just three months we have already recorded a reduction of 11% for electricity and 14% for gas”, Public Service Minister Petra De Sutter and Secretary of State in charge of the Régie des Bâtiments Mathieu Michel said in a statement.
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“We obviously want to continue this positive trend, the impact of which is beneficial both for the climate and for public finances,” added the Groen and MR representatives. As a result, the plan to reduce energy consumption and its monitoring will become structural, so that the energy-saving measures are permanent. The government will receive a report on energy consumption every six months.
