Open a window? We prefer air-con in our office, say officials in charge of climate policy

Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Business Editor
19.08.09

Civil servants responsible for cutting Britain's carbon emissions have scrapped an energy-saving plan to switch off their air-conditioning and open their windows instead.

The trial was abandoned after three days because officials complained about noise from construction works, "the wrong kind of breeze" and the security risk. Staff at the Department for Energy and Climate Change were told that other "innovative ways" to reduce the building's carbon footprint would be looked at instead.

An internal memo seen by the Standard to all staff said: "Concerns have been raised about higher temperatures, reduced air flow, noise from the building works and security concerns. We have therefore decided to revert to air-conditioned cooling for the building."

During this month's trial the top temperatures in London ranged from 24 to 28.5C. Environmental campaigners said the decision sent a terrible message to the rest of the country. London Assembly member for the Green Party Jenny Jones said: "Opening the window is the cheapest, most climate friendly way of cooling a building. Government organisations just don't have that sense of urgency about climate change."

The Directgov website advises the public to "cool your home naturally instead of using air-conditioning, which can damage the environment".

A spokesman said: "As this was a test, comments were encouraged, it was not a case of complaints." The department is housed in a late Victorian Grade II-listed building in Whitehall Place by the Thames. It is ranked in the lowest "G" category for energy efficiency.

One retired senior civil servant who worked in the building in the Seventies and Eighties said: "We didn't know what air-conditioning was. We opened the windows. It wasn't always comfortable but we tended to think of the building as quite cool and airy." Air-conditioning is one of the fastest-growing sources of demand for electricity in Britain, accounting for about two per cent of supply. Calculations by the Standard suggest London's air-conditioning units create 1.6million tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. Most modern office buildings have windows that can be opened.

Shadow energy and climate change spokesman Greg Clark said: "If the Government considers opening windows to be 'innovative', it is hardly a surprise carbon emissions have barely dipped over the past decade."

This decision sends a terrible message'

“No we can't” seems to be the refrain from many public employees challenged with changing working conditions to help save money or the planet.

One would have hoped for more from the department entrusted with getting the rest of us to cut our carbon emissions.

The collapse of the efforts of building facility managers to switch to natural ventilation methods, after staff complaints, gives a terrible message to the public. Artificially air-conditioned buildings use on average 100 per cent more energy than naturally air-conditioned buildings. There are many things the DECC can do to make the offices comfortable. Turning off unnecessary lighting and equipment will reduce heat-gain.

People in climates like Italy or Spain worked for centuries without air-conditioning by installing retractable shades over south-facing windows and ensuring windows allow natural cross-flows. If the staff need a deathly hush they can look at their own grants which fund natural ventilation systems.

With a little bit of encouragement these reluctant eco-warriors could be shouting “Yes we can!” instead.

Donnachadh McCarthy founded the charity nationalcarbonfootprintday.org

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