LOILO CITY (PNA) - The private sector here has started implementing programs on energy conservation in the face of global warming challenges.
This was reported by Mayor Jerry P. Treñas to more than 100 participants in a two-day regional dialogue on April 15-16 among the scientific community, local government units, the private sector and development community held at the Sarabia Manor sponsored by the city government and in collaboration with the World Bank.
Treñas said the city is facing challenges of climate change and climate-related disaster risks that entail long preparation for the people to accept and understand.
The city chief executive said the city joined the International Council for Local Environment Initiatives (ICLEI) in 2004 as an initial step on energy efficiency and conservation advocacy with hotels, hospitals and shopping malls.
ICLEI is a worldwide movement of 800 cities, towns and counties working to achieve tangible improvement in global environment and sustainable development conditions.
The Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) campaign was started in a move to cut gas emissions that cause global warming and air pollution.
Iloilo City then pursued lamp retrofitting as initial step in reducing greenhouse gas emission with 4,000 streetlights replaced with high sodium pressure lamps that save the city 8,000 kilowatthour (kwh) per day and avoided carbon dioxide for a savings of 4,751 kilograms per day.
Two city hotels and three shopping malls joined the initial campaign on energy conservation.
Hotel del Rio in Molo district uses compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) to initially save P204 per day or P74,469 per year in selected areas of the hotel such as terraces, hallways, restaurants and offices.
The use of CFLs also avoided carbon dioxide emission of 14,793 kilograms per year.
Grand Dame Hotel in La Paz district cut down its airconditioning units without sacrificing the comfort of its customers.
It also shifted to the use of CFLs to save P4,064 per day or P1.4 million a year with avoided carbon dioxide of 201 kilograms per day or 73,652 kilograms a year.
SM City shopping mall used to spend tremendous amount of energy for the operation of its wastewater treatment plant.
It shifted to the new low cost wastewater treatment process which uses sequencing batch reactor that enables to save electricity at 1,408 kwh per day and saves no less than P15,000 or P5.5 million a year.
Carbon dioxide was avoided because of energy savings and computed at 836 kilograms per day.
Robinsons Place Iloilo started retrofitting lamps in 2006 and replaced 2,380 old fluorescent and halogen lamps with CFLs that saved 58,038 kwh annually or savings of P754,494 and avoided carbon dioxide emission of 61,847 kilograms a year.
