The Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) is set to reduce its energy consumption at its five offices across the country, having signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.  

The MoU, signed on Thursday at the Principal’s Office, Mona, will see UWI’s Alternative Energy Research Group (AERG) assist the BSJ in the development and execution of a plan to reduce energy consumption at BSJ locations in Kingston, Montego Bay, Mandeville, Ocho Rios and Savanna-la-Mar.

The AERG consists of Graduate Students of the Energy Management Unit, Faculty of Engineering and the Renewable Energy Group, Department of Physics. The AERG will undertake an audit to identify gaps in relation to energy usage which will inform the strategic plan to be implemented.

As part of assisting the BSJ in developing the plan, which will include actions at the specific locations, the UWI will recommend local service providers and monitor the BSJ’s implementation of the strategies. The parties will collaborate to explore the use of renewable resources as part of the plan.

The BSJ is also one of 80 Government entities identified to benefit from an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded, Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) – managed, Energy Management and Efficiency Programme (EMEP), which will see the IDB fund   Investment Grade Energy Audits and implement economic corrective measures. It is intended that the UWI students will benefit from observing the methods used in their energy study programme and enrich their professional development.

Hopeton Heron, Executive Director of the BSJ, in welcoming the MoU indicated that in keeping with the Government of Jamaica’s focus on energy management, the BSJ had sought out the expertise to support its own efforts through adherence to the ISO 50001 Energy Management System standard. He noted that the BSJ had been aggressively pursuing energy efficiency and conservation initiatives over the years and that research pointed to UWI’s significant success at their Mona campus.

Mr. Heron commended the initiative which came from the BSJ’s Energy Management Steering Committee.  The committee had recognized that the multiplicity of buildings housing several laboratories were major contributors to exorbitant utility bills. He expressed gratitude to Professor Dale Webber, Principal of the UWI, Mona, for the University’s commitment to the process of aiding the BSJ in its energy management initiatives. The agreement will remain in place until April 2020 with opportunities for extension.