PIA Press Release
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 DOST-XI offers energy consumption audit in the workplaceby Mai Gevera-Macapagat DAVAO CITY, Jan. 11 (PIA) -- With the looming power shortage that Mindanao is again facing, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region XI is all set to have its DREAM Team to audit energy consumption of business establishments and other sectors in the region. “If we can’t add power, then let us reduce power consumption,” said DOST-XI assistant regional director Elsie Solidum in today’s Club 888 at Marco Polo Hotel, this city. The DREAM Team or the Davao Region Energy Audit and Management Team composed mostly of experts, engineers, and even private individuals were given proper training, equipment, and instruments to enable them do energy audits in establishments that request for that particular service. DOST believes that an energy audit is a good starting step to earn more savings by way of ensuring efficient appliance and electronic uses in the workplace. This was found a necessity by most industries that wanted to reduce input cost by ensuring the use of highly efficient gadgets and appliances. DOST has started its auditing in its own workplace and it has replaced ordinary fluorescent lights to T5 lights. Experts claimed a 30 percent lighting consumption reduction the moment they replaced the lights. The DREAM Team has also started doing energy audits in small and medium enterprises which hold the bulk of the business community in the region. DREAM Team is a multi-agency group with members from the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP), the University of Mindanao (UM), and DOST XI. The team is now ready to provide energy audit services to all interested industries in the region. It will help industries in setting energy conservation goals, identify areas where energy wastes can occur, relate energy consumption to production, improve the process/equipment efficiencies, and recommend energy saving opportunities. One of the members of the DREAM team suggested for the replacement of old appliances to a new but efficient one as this could result to a remarkable reduction of electric consumption. Experts could also measure the savings that the establishment can achieve after following the recommendations to be provided for by the team. The DREAM team now accepts requests to have this particular energy audit service in their establishment. (PIA-11/Mai Gevera-Macapagat) | 
