Lights out for energy saving in civil service
The civil service will attempt to pave the way in energy conservation, ministers said yesterday after signing an agreement to introduce a number of measures to reduce the use of electricity in public buildings. Greece is a European laggard in terms of energy conservation and the public sector in particular has been criticized for not making efforts to be more environmentally friendly. However, the ministers of the interior, finance and public works signed an agreement that will lead to the light bulbs used in public buildings being replaced with ones that are more energy-efficient. Other green measures will include sensors being installed in communal areas so the lights switch off or dim when they are not being used. The government said it has already committed to switching over the heating systems in public buildings from oil to natural gas wherever possible.
