By Lee Hyo-sik
Staff Reporter
Public institutions, including state-run enterprises, will be obliged to purchase only energy-efficient office supplies and equipment in line with the government's ``low-carbon, green-growth'' strategy.
They will also have to set aside separate parking space exclusively for compact and hybrid vehicles to encourage more individuals to drive fuel-efficient cars in a bid to cut the consumption of gasoline and other auto fuels.
According to government sources Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister recently decided to promote the efficient use of energy among all public institutions and ordered them to report their energy-saving performance at the end of each year.
A senior government official said ministries and other government agencies should implement all possible measures to reduce energy use and save taxpayer money, setting an example for the private sector. ``It will certainly boost the current administration's key national strategy of green growth.''
A total of 75 public institutions, including the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, and their affiliated state enterprises are subject to the planned energy-saving campaign. Those who are chosen as energy efficient entities will receive a range of incentives, including a budget increase, while inefficient energy users will be rated poorly on their annual performance assessment.
Among other measures, government agencies will be required to buy only energy efficient products and replace high-energy-consuming light bulbs with light emitting diode (LED) by the end of this year. By 2012, all public organizations will also have to replace more than 30 percent of their lighting with LED-based goods.
Public organizations will have to buy compact or hybrid cars as official vehicles and set aside 5 percent of all parking lots for compact and hybrid vehicles. The government will also check whether taxpayer-financed establishments adequately manage air conditioning, turn off lighting during lunch breaks, install tap water-saving devices and promote a car pool among employees.
A finance ministry official said it would place greater budget priorities on the purchase of compact and hybrid vehicles and other energy-saving projects when allocating next year's fiscal spending. ``In the upcoming revamp of the taxation system, we will introduce greater tax benefits to encourage energy saving and efficient use.''