London, U.K. --- (METERING.COM) --- July 26, 2012 - Britain’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has cut the energy consumption in its HQ building, 3 Whitehall Place, by 60 percent and the carbon emissions by half since 2008.

This has resulted in a change in its Display Energy Certificate (DEC) rating – a mandatory requirement for display in all public buildings over 1,000 m² – from “G” (the lowest rating) to “C”.

According to the DECC, these reductions have been achieved mainly through the introduction of more occupancy controls on lighting in the building, the installation of intelligent boiler load optimization control units to two gas-fired boilers, and the installation of variable speed drives to supply fans.

“The new higher DEC rating of “C” represents a great achievement for the Department over the last four years,” said Greg Barker, minister of State for Climate Change. “With the right commitment, large organizations can make a big difference to their overheads and to their environmental impact, and DECC’s achievement is proof of that.”

Further energy saving projects are planned for the coming year that are estimated to shave a further 4 percent off the building’s energy footprint.

The DECC was one of the first two British government departments in June 2010 to put its real time energy use online, where it may be viewed on the Department’s home page.