How Behavior Programs Can Help Build an Energy-Efficient Culture

www.sustainableplant.com - January 11, 2012

Energy behavior programs aimed at reducing energy use through change in employees' attitudes and behaviors, such as those instituted at The House of Representatives and the Empire State Building, can help build an energy-efficient office culture, according to a report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). These programs also create benefits that extend beyond the workplace, as participants often become more energy conscious at home and in their communities.

One of the case studies examined, “Green the Capitol,” a program instituted by the House of Representatives, was recognized as a positive example of how government can deploy low-cost, low-risk energy initiatives to control its own energy usage through the change of its employees' attitudes and behavior toward energy saving.

The Green the Capital initiative promoted a comprehensive package aimed at reducing energy use, waste and the carbon footprint of the House of Representatives by switching electricity fuel from coal to natural gas, relighting the Capital Dome with compact fluorescent light bulbs, and promoting a series of behavior programs at offices such as turning off computers and other office equipment when not in use, carpooling, commuting by bicycle and recycling. Eighteen months after its launch, the Green the Capitol program had reduced the institution's carbon footprint by 74%.

The report also looked at four other energy behavior case studies across the U.S. and Canada, including the “Tenant Energy Management Program” in the Empire State building; “Conservation Action!” at BC Hydro, Canada; an energy behavior campaign undertaken at a provincial governmental building in Canada; and the “TLC – Care to Conserve” program at the University Health Network of the University of Toronto.

Four common intervention approaches were shared by the five energy behavior programs: (1) setting the tone with the support of upper management and its public pledge; (2) building a team with a project committee and peer champions on board; (3) utilizing communication tools such as e-mails, prompts, Web sites, public meetings and posters to reach target audiences; and (4) engaging building occupants by means of feedback, benign peer pressure and competition, as well as through performance-linked rewards.

The report suggests that the key benefits of energy behavior programs extend beyond the workplaces that undertake these programs. Often a change in participants' thinking and behaviors follows, and after participation in the program they may become more active in their own energy-saving practices.

“Participants in these programs may reduce their home energy use, or actively participate in or even organize energy conservation programs in their communities,” said Dr. Shui Bin. “They may act as agents for change within and outside of the organization, spreading energy-efficient behavior in other settings, leading to direct and indirect reduction of energy expenditure, energy use, and carbon emissions.”  

 

Economists doubt fuel prices can go lower

 freemalaysiatoday.com

G Vinod | January 13, 2011

 

Even at RM1.90 per litre, Malaysia's fuel price is still considered the cheapest among oil-exporting countries.

PETALING JAYA: Several economists cast doubt over views presented by two academicians that Malaysia can lower its fuel prices to as low as 30 sen per litre.
Professor Hamid Yeop and economist Amir Hussin Baharuddin on Monday said that as a petroleum-producing nation, Malaysia rakes in higher profits due to the rise in oil prices.
They said most oil-producing nations fixed their domestic oil prices lower than the international market price, and Malaysia can also easily follow suit.
“A research in 2008 showed that while world fuel prices are determined by market forces, in Malaysia, prices are not adjusted accordingly and has never fallen,” they told a Malay daily.
Economist Yeah Kim Leng said the government has in fact moved to adjust domestic oil prices, citing the two separate schemes for RON95 and RON97 fuel.
“While the RON97 price is determined by the global oil market, the government is subsidising between 30 and 40 sen per litre for RON95,” said Yeah.
He added that currently, Malaysia’s RON 95, which is sold at RM1.90 per litre, is still ranked among the top 20 cheapest in the world.
“Countries that offer RON95 prices for less than a ringgit per litre are among the world’s top oil- producing countries with huge oil reserves.
“However, our oil reserve only stands at 0.3 % of the world’s oil reserves compared with 29% for Saudi Arabia.”
He said that Malaysia’s higher returns from soaring fuel prices are channelled into the oil and gas industries.
“The government, therefore, would still need to fork out money to subisidise its domestic oil prices,” said Yeah.
He agreed with the government’s recent subsidy rationalisation move, saying it would not only help the government to cut cost but also promote energy efficiency among consumers.
To alleviate the burden of the lower-income group due to the fuel price hikes, Yeah suggested that the government channel subsidies directly to this group.
“The government is working on a mechanism to help them. Currently, only the middle- and the higher-income groups are benefiting from the subsidies,”he said.
Market trend
Another economist, Cheong Kee Cheok, of Universiti Malaya, cast doubts on the two academicians’ research findings.
“The market price for petrol (unsubsidised) is made up of the cost of extraction and the cost of bringing what is extracted to the market as petrol.
“The extraction, refining and transport costs have to be added on even if oil companies do not make profits from doing all these. I hope the professors took into account all this in their research.”
He added that he was unconvinced by the argument that other oil-producing nations charge their consumers very low prices as justification for Malaysia to lower its domestic fuel prices.
“Take, the US, a major oil-exporting nation. It sells its domestically made cars cheapers than we do. Any economist must know that the point is how we manage our limited resources,” said Cheong.
Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute chairman, Ramon Navaratnam, said oil prices in Malaysia should move in tandem with the international market trend.
“It is basic supply and demand (situation). Malaysia has lower fuel prices due to its subsidies and the two experts cannot expect Petronas to sell fuel domestically at cost price if that was what they meant.
“In addition, you cannot increase subsidies anymore as the government needs to tackle its budget deficit which currently stands at nearly 6%.
“The best way to offset soaring petrol prices from affecting the lower-income group is to provide better infrastructure funding for the lower-income group,” said Ramon.
“The government should channel subsidies to provide better housing, healthcare, education and public transport.”

Petrol prices forcing parents to share school run

Nearly half of parents are thinking of sharing the school run in an attempt to cut down on the cost of running their cars, after petrol prices hit a fresh record.

By Harry Wallop, Consumer Affairs Editor 2:48PM GMT 11 Jan 2011

The average price of a litre of unleaded petrol climbed higher on Tuesday from 127.80p to 127.88p, edging ever closer to the equivalent of £6 a gallon (132p a litre).

The price has climbed steadily since the New Year, when first fuel duty was increased, and then a few days later the increased level of VAT came into force.

Consumers have been cutting back on driving – as they did during the fuel price spike of 2008. According to a poll by Halfords, the retailer, 44 per cent of parents say they are talking to friends about sharing the school run.

The survey also suggested that 78 per cent plan to drive less, with daily short trips to local shops the biggest casualty of the attempt to save on transport costs.

Figures from HM Revenue and Customs suggest that fuel consumption falls when the price of petrol increases. During December 4.28 billion litres of fuel – either unleaded petrol or diesel – was released for consumption, a fall of 4.48 billion in November. - The Telegraph

Bumpy road before a smooth drive

By JOSEPH LOH - The Star Online - 25 April 2010
A recently-tabled bill makes it possible for a congestion charge to be implemented for cars entering Kuala Lumpur’s city centre. But critics say a reliable and efficient public transport system needs to be in place first.

WITH the tabling of the Land Public Transport (LPT) Bill in Parliament recently, Malaysia has taken the first step towards the introduction of an area congestion pricing (ACP) scheme in traffic-snarled cities around the country.

This congestion toll system, similar to the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) in Singapore, and the Congestion Charge (CC) in London, England, makes users pay to use roads in the city centre to reduce traffic jams and to promote more efficient use of roads.

This Bill goes hand in hand with another, the Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat Bill (Land Public Transport Commission, SPAD) which empowers the formation of an authority in charge of all matters related to public transport, be it road or rail.

Moaz Yusuf Ahmad, advisor to The Association For The Improvement Of Mass Transit (Transit) explains the purpose of ACP.

“Roads are valuable because there is a limited amount of space in the city. Drivers willing to pay more will have the option of using the roads, but it is not meant to prevent people from driving into the city centre. Rather, it is to discourage them from driving alone, encouraging people to car pool, or to use alternative transport,” he says.

Moaz adds that charging a premium for using roads in the city makes sense.

“If a house in the city costs more than that in the suburbs, the cost of the roads should be higher as well,” he says.

Goh Bok Yen, a transport planning consultant, says that at a basic level, it encourages people to switch to an alternative other than driving.

“The existing road space can be used more effectively and will make better use of the urban road system,” he says.

London and Singapore are considered to be good models of a congestion charge system, and its basic goal has been achieved. In February 2004, one year after London introduced the CC, Transport for London estimated traffic levels during charging hours showed a reduction of 18%, with a reduction of 30% in cars.

This also led to a significant gain in bus reliability, and London buses experienced up to a 60% reduction in disruption caused by traffic jams.

The point to note is that a congestion toll – if properly implemented – can be effective.

Moaz says that cars coming into the city centre are typically of single or low occupancy, and the average number of people in a car is a paltry 1.08.

“If we have an ACP, it would immediately reduce the (number of) cars coming into the city centre. If we increase the people from one to two per car, we can reduce the number of cars by half, and that would make a big difference,” he explains.

The price of deterrence

A pertinent question is the amount that will be charged. In Singapore, the ERP rates vary from 50 cents to S$4.00 (RM1.17 to RM9.30) per road travelled, while London’s CC is £8 (RM39.28) per day.

Goh believes that the quantum charged should be reflected by the price of the substitute available.

“It is like the elasticity of demand. If you have a very good substitute, people will switch to it even though the ACP price is not high. The resistance of people is reflected by availability of public transport,” says Goh.

There is also the question of where the collected funds end up.

London collected £325.7mil (RM1.6bil) in congestion charges in its 2008-2009 financial year, and after deducting all operating costs, had a net profit of £148.5mil (RM729.1mil). This sum was spent entirely on improving transport in line with the Mayor of London’s transport strategy.

Which is why Goh is strongly against privatisation of any local ACP collection system.

“It needs to be pumped back into the roads and the public transport system. If you privatise it, then profits will be channelled away. In Malaysia, we have a painful experience of road tolls. Every time a highway is completed, people should be happy, but these days everybody complains about it. We do not want that repeated for the ACP,” says Goh.

Moaz believes the sharing of information is crucial.

“It is frustrating not to have information, especially in the IT age, We have to inform people how the system works, what it is for, and tell them where the money is going. If we do not do that, people are going to object and think it is just another money pit,” he says.

However, what both London and Singapore share is a vital feature that makes a congestion toll system possible – a comprehensive, efficient and reliable public transport system. This is practically a prerequisite before a congestion toll can be implemented.

Goh says the basic requirement that has to be fulfilled is for motorists to have a viable, alternative mode of transport.

“Is public transport in KL today a reasonable substitute for a private car? It is not, and we are very far from it. It needs to have the elements of comfort, reliability, frequency and safety.

“You want something that can substitute for the whole journey in a reasonable manner. If we implement ACP before reaching that level, we leave the commuter no alternative but to drive and pay,” he says.

Goh adds that before the CC was implemented in London, the public transport system was at a very high standard and carried up to 70% of the commuters to work every day.

“Here, only about 18% of commuters use public transport. But looking at it in a positive light, we have a huge market for public transport,” he says.

Moaz, however, says the public should be aware that public transport will never be as comfortable and convenient as a private car.

“It will never reach that standard but it will give different advantages a private car will not give,” he says.

Comfort is a consideration, but Moaz says this is not the most important factor.

“People know they may have to stand, and sitting space will be cramped, but they are willing to sacrifice that personal comfort,” he says.

The most important factors, in descending order, are reliability, frequency, comfort, speed, information and the fare, he stresses.

The underlying fact is that there are simply not enough buses, trains, routes, accessibility from the house to the station and from the station to the destination to make public transport attractive.

“If we want congestion pricing, we must take a great leap forward in improving the public transport system. At the moment, it is premature to talk about it. What it really needs is a complete revamp of the system.

“Right now, we have not reached an acceptable level of public transport. The recent improvements (in the form of RapidKL and others) are just playing catch-up. What we have done is getting to a level we should have been five years ago,” says Moaz.

Goh agrees, saying that the public transport system should have been improved long before the rapid growth of private vehicle ownership.

“We have not done much for public transport until the last five years, but we have been talking about it for more than 25 years,” he says.

Goh believes that an ACP on its own is not sufficient to solve traffic problems – what is needed is a multi-faceted approach.

“For example, at one time Singapore was targeting low occupancy vehicles, and later high-occupancy vehicles too, and now everyone pays – even motorcycles or public transport vehicles.

“It also wanted to constrain vehicle ownership to restrict the number of cars on the road. They went another step further by having off-peak hours and weekend cars, and those are the ones with red plates,” he says.

Moaz also believes that ACP by itself will not accomplish the goal of reducing the number of cars on the road.

Incentives needed

“That is only one solution, and we would have liked to see other initiatives included in the Bill. For example, there should have been a package of incentives to encourage people to take public transport,” he says.

Apart from improving pubic transport, Goh says, there is a need for alternative routes around the city centre.

“Right now you may have to go through the city centre if you want to get to a particular destination from another. We should have a choice of roads but the linkages are missing,” he says.

He also thinks the proposed roads indicated by the Draft KL City Plan 2020 for ACP is too restrictive.

“The ACP outlined in the plan is constrained mainly to the central business district. It should be an area similar to the area surrounded by the middle ring road (Jalan Tun Razak). Also, with a defined boundary it will be easier to administer,” says Goh.

Moaz goes further and looks at the Commission itself.

“One of our biggest concerns is that the SPAD will be a re-organisation rather than a total reform of public transport. They are combining the Commercial Vehicle Licensing Board and the Department of Railways, which handle all commercial transport on roads and rail respectively, into one organisation.

“Structurally it is better, but is it going to make real changes in the public transport system? If there is no reform, it will just be structural and nothing will change on the road,” he says.

Moaz says what is needed is something like the London model, which is called Transport for London (TFL).

“Say we call it Rapid for KL, and it will not be operating a service but instead focuses on managing the system. Companies like Len Seng or Metrobus would work for them, and the RapidKL bus and LRT services could be spun off as individual companies and work for the company. So Rapid for KL would be the single brand and face of public transport for Kuala Lumpur,” he suggests.

Optimistic for the future

Moaz says the new Bills do represent a step forward in reducing Kuala Lumpur’s traffic woes. “Creating the SPAD is a step forward, and it could take us to a major leap in public transport if they are willing to push for it.

“But if the SPAD does not push and take the lead on this, it will be 20 years of the same. Without a total reform of the public transport system, it is premature to talk about ACP,” he says.

“Under the current system, we are limited by a bureaucratic set of rules. Unless we can get past that we will not be able to achieve the quality of service and information required,” adds Moaz.

Goh says all factors such as public transport, alternative roads and other matters need to be achieved before ACP is implemented.

“It would be optimistic to say we can develop it within five years. But in 10 years’ time, it is possible. This would be two five-year plans, and if we don’t achieve it, then we are not serious about it,” says Goh.

Join us in Facebook

One of the problems with carpool matching has always been the anxiety most people feel when faced with the prospect of sharing a car with someone they don’t know. We are trying to tap into the power of social networking to eliminate much of the fear that can come up when people try to find rides anonymously.

In this Pilot Project (funded by Mdec), we hope by combining the ride-matching function with the reassurance of perusable user profiles (via Facebook Networking) , we can promote carpooling more effectively and successfully.

After all we are only suggesting that you try carpooling once a week, or at least recommend www.tunetravel.com.my to friends or relatives that might need to carpool.

Join us in building the Carpooling Community in Facebook now http://www.facebook.com , see you there.

Carpooling Made Easy

Have you ever noticed that every festive season in Kuala Lumpur, tens and thousands of people find it difficult to get transport to Balik Kampung?

The existing public transport system is just not sufficient to handle the demand.

But did you know of that during the same time approximately 200,000 passenger cars leave Kuala Lumpur either to the north or south and about 20% are Single Occupancy Vehicles, which means the car is empty except for the driver.

That means potentially there are 120,000 vacant seats going to the north and south of Peninsula Malaysia every holiday season (assuming one car can take 3 passengers).

Imagine if all those people who are struggling to find transport, so they can Balik Kampung to see their loved ones, had a way to access and share these unused seats.

Well the wait is over; Tune Travel provides a secure and easy way in which all Malaysians can create travel partnerships be it during festival Balik Kampung or carpooling to work everyday.

Think about it, a car with 2 people in it is twice as efficient, takes up much less road space, uses half the fuel and produces half the pollution as 2 cars with just one driver in each.

Already in Kuala Lumpur during peak hours, the Buses, the LRT, the KTM Commuter and the Roads are all full. So really the only remaining capacity is the empty seats in the Single Occupancy Vehicles that travel to the city everyday.

By creating travel partnerships such as carpooling, we all can save quite a lot of money especially with ever increasing petrol, toll and parking charges. (Check our ourwebsite www.tunetravel.com.my to see how much you can save).

Not only that, if more Malaysians carpool to work surely traffic congestion can be reduced and less time and fuel will be spent travelling to the office during peak hours.

And better yet the fewer cars on the road means less CO2 will be produced and that helps protect the environment as CO2 produced by vehicles is very damaging to the environment.

To illustrate, if you drive a 1.5 litre car 40km to and from work every day, you will produce approximately 2 tonnes of CO2 a year which needs approximately 800 tress to absorb and reconvert into O2 .

It is estimated that 1 tree produces enough O2 for 4 people to survive a year.

So fewer cars on the road, means less fuel used, less money spent, less time wasted, less traffic jams, less stress and more O2 for us to breath.

Imagine the difference we can make. To register please log on to our website at www.tunetravel.com.my

Oops ...This is Car in pool ....not Carpool..