Energy Action at Hartlepool Borough Council



This page is designed for the audience of Hartlepool Borough Council’s staff, however, other visitors may still find the information on this page useful.

Energy use is one of our most significant environmental impacts – over 70% of Hartlepool Borough Council’s total carbon footprint is as a result of the heating, cooling and powering our buildings. Effective energy management and investing in energy efficiency, conservation, generation and awareness measures are crucial if we are to achieve our net zero target by 2050. The council is working hard to deliver on heat decarbonisation plans, but there are also things that we can all do to contribute to these savings.

 

How are the Council’s Buildings Performing?

You can check a building’s energy performance and recommended interventions by checking its Display Energy Certificate (DEC) on the Government’s website. The DEC shows the energy performance of public buildings. The system uses a scale that runs from 'A' to 'G' - 'A' being the most efficient and 'G' being the least.

 

Energy saving actions

Tiny actions together can make huge impacts. Being aware of the things around us that use energy and general housekeeping practices are two key actions we can all take to reduce energy waste and use it as efficiently as possible.

 

Lighting

Some council assets utilise automatic lighting controls. For example, areas of the Civic Centre have motion sensors installed to automatically switch lights on and off as required. Where automatic lighting controls are not installed, remember not to leave lights on in unoccupied areas.

  • Switch off the lights at the end of the day
  • Switch off the lights when you are the last one out of a meeting room
  • Switch off  the lights where lights are not needed, such as in offices, corridors, meeting rooms, toilets and pantries
  • Switch on only the lights that you need
  • Spotlighting the area you use is more efficient than lighting a large space when occupancy rates are low

Other actions you can take:

  • Make maximum use of daylight when possible. It is more comfortable, and carbon and cost free. If this causes glare on your display monitor, consider repositioning your desk top (where possible) before closing blinds and turning on the lights
  • Assign a responsible person to: turn off lights in communal areas

 

Computers, printers and photocopiers

Office and work equipment can be unsuspected high users of energy. When a device is not in use, it should be switched off as leaving equipment on standby consumes unnecessary energy. Here are a few steps that you can take to minimise unnecessary energy usage. 

  • Turn off your PC or laptop at the end of the day - a standard PC uses around 100 watts of energy when switched on, but only five watts when shut down. By turning off your PC or laptop at the end of your work day, you will save about 66 per cent of the electricity used in a typical working week compared to leaving it on
  • Optimise the brightness of your monitor. Overly bright monitors can also cause discomfort on the eyes
  • Turn off your monitor at the end of the day and when away from your desk
  • Only print or copy when necessary - unnecessary printing wastes paper, ink and energy
  • Print double sided wherever possible

 

Heating and Cooling

Savings can also be realised by using climate controls wisely.

  • The optimum office temperature is typically 19°C to 21°C, while the legal minimum temperature for offices is 16°C
  • Consider setting cooling controls to activate only when temperatures rise above 24°C
  • Close doors and windows when heating and air conditioning is on to prevent cold air from getting in, and warm air from escaping.
  • Dress appropriately, as we all have different temperature sensitivities