Portcullis House: Not green enough?

An energy efficiency check of a Portcullis House office has highlighted a series of measures MPs could take to save power and tackle global warming.

Senior Labour MP Barry Sheerman agreed to have his office reviewed as part of "energy efficiency week", organised by the Energy Saving Trust (EST).

He said it was important for politicians to play their part in reducing energy use and boosting the environment.

Earlier this week a review of the Westminster office by energy experts suggested a range of measures the MP and his staff could take to become more energy efficient.

These included switching off a television that was left in standby mode, which still uses around a third of the power as normal use.

Computer monitors could also be turned off at night rather than being left in standby mode, while a fridge needed defrosting to enable it to work more efficiently.

And a mobile phone charger had not been turned off after the phone had been charged, continuing to use power.

The experts also suggested making better use of the sunshine entering the south facing office, which should limit the need for central heating on sunnier days.

Following the review, Sheerman said everyone had a part to play in protecting the environment.

"As we become increasingly aware of the threat of global warming, it’s vital that everyone - MPs included - plays their part in becoming more efficient in their energy use," he said.

"I hope that my colleagues in Westminster, as well as everyone across the UK, do all they can to support EST's energy efficiency week and I'd encourage them to sit down and evaluate their own energy usage, as they may find the results surprising."

The EST said that Britons are wasting billions of pounds of energy each year by not adopting energy efficiency measures., with the average household able to save up to £200 on their annual fuel bill by adopting simple energy efficiency measures.

This would also cut two tonnes of carbon from entering the atmosphere, helping to tackle global warming, the campaigners said.

"The majority of people are throwing money away, and damaging the environment in the process - it’s just common sense to turn off," said Sheerman.

Philip Sellwood, EST's chief executive, praised the MP for recognising "the importance of energy efficiency".

"We would encourage MPs to consider energy audits of their own homes," he said.

"While many of the energy efficiency measures we’ve suggested seem basic, millions of people across the UK are wasting energy at home and at work every day without necessarily being aware of it.

"It is vital that we begin to conserve energy now to protect ourselves against the threat of climate change."

He also warned that the UK "must accept that we can no longer afford to be wasteful".