By Dennis Peprah, GNA
Sunyani, (Bono), Nov. 05, GNA-The Energy Commission (EC) has advised members of the public to always check for the commission’s energy efficiency labels, before procuring any electrical appliance.
Mr John Adjei, a Senior Manager at the Energy Efficiency Unit of the Commission who gave the advice, said only electrical appliances which had the EC’s ‘Yellow’ labels were energy efficient.
He was speaking in an interview with the media on the sidelines of a stakeholder’s engagement meeting on the Commission’s draft Energy Performance Certification Regulations (EPC) document in Sunyani.
Presently, the EC is undertaking nationwide stakeholders’ engagements to collect inputs and fine-tune the draft document for the introduction of the EPC for buildings in the country.
The EPC Regulations on the buildings will function like the star rating system used on household electrical appliances.
It aimed at reducing national electricity consumption, lower energy bills, and thereby drive an energy-efficient culture among Ghanaians.
Mr Adjei explained that electrical appliances, especially air conditioners and refrigerators, without the commission’s labels consumed high electricity.
Touching on the EPC draft Regulations, he said the introduction of the regulation followed the successful energy efficiency labelling scheme for electrical appliances.
Engineer Adjei explained that under the EPC regulations, public and residential buildings would be rated by their energy performance.
It would cover residential, commercial, public and industrial buildings.
He said that assessment of the buildings would be conducted at the design, construction and operational stages, by certified assessors.
Mr Adjei said the implementation of the regulation would advance the nation’s energy efficiency rate and called on stakeholders to support and fine-tune the draft EPC document before it was forwarded to the Attorney General Department.
Mr Thompson Ampomah, an Assistant Programme Officer at the Bono Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), described the draft EPC Regulation as a good step.
However, he advised the EC to address some gaps and fine-tune the draft document.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Dennis Peprah
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]