Energy Efficient Lighting to Be Installed at 120 Government Facilities

A total of 120 government facilities, including 50 public buildings, will be retrofitted with energy efficient lighting during the new financial year.

The work will be done under the Energy Management and Efficiency Programme (EMEP), which has been allocated $713.3 million in the 2024/25 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.

Being implemented by the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, the project aims to promote energy efficiency in government entities, including hospitals and schools.

This, in order to reduce energy costs.

The funds allocated will also go towards completing the retrofitting of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) purifiers in 70 government facilities and seven hospitals; implement an integrated information technology (IT) platform for the Ministry; and commence technical study number four for the Integrated Energy Plan and 100 per cent total access to electricity in Jamaica by 2030.

Up to December 2023, there have been several achievements under the project.

Among these are conclusion of technical study number two to support energy/electricity planning, as well as the completion of technical study number three on revisions to the national energy plan.

Engineering and supervision of structural impact assessment was completed, as also installation of the Urban Traffic Management System equipment.

Additionally, deep retrofitting works commenced at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

Funding for the project is being provided by the European Union (EU), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).