Energy saving in the public sector

Recommended temperatures for public sector buildings

• Offices 19–21°C
• Classrooms 18°C
• Sports hall and corridors 15°C
• Areas for very young children 21°C

Developing a temperature policy can help to manage your heating use over time

Public sector heating systems

• Switch off heating for the last hour of the day – the building should retain its heat for that time
• Use time switches so heating is only on when the building’s in use
• Encourage staff to use window blinds to retain heat in winter and keep it down in summer
• Regularly service boilers to retain efficiency and consider replacing units over 15 years old

Properly insulate your roof – an uninsulated building can lose around a quarter of its heat through its roof

Lighting

• Opening window blinds to utilise daylight could reduce lighting bills by 19%
• Use movement detectors, time switches and daylight sensors
• Encourage staff to switch lights off when they’re not needed
• Install energy-efficient lights – using the right lights could cut your lighting costs by up to 80%

If windows, skylights and light fittings are not kept clean, light levels could fall by up to 40%

Water

• Hot water should be stored at temperatures above 60°C to avoid bugs like legionella
• Cold water should be kept at a maximum 20°C
• Ensure pipework is well insulated to prevent heat loss

Fitting taps that turn off automatically (percussion taps) can lead to major energy savings

Air conditioning

• Don’t waste energy by heating and cooling areas at the same time
• Switch off heating in office areas when it reaches 20°C
• Only turn on air conditioning when the temperature is over 24°C

Regular air-conditioning services help keep your system running efficiently

Ventilation

• Install variable-speed drives in your fans
• Ensure air recycling is optimised, particularly when there aren’t many people around
• Consider investing in high efficiency equipment for your heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems

Variable-speed drives can reduce the running costs of a fan by up to 40%

Electrical equipment

• IT equipment burns energy, even in standby mode
• Encourage staff to switch equipment off when not in use
• Use the energy-saving features on things like monitors and printers

Turning computers and monitors off at night can save £35 a year per desk