Fitting solar water-heating systems to prisons built in the early 1900s and designing highly efficient hot water systems for its newest prisons has won Corrections the Ministry for the Environment’s 2007 Govt3 Sustainable Improvement in Energy Efficiency Award.
Keen to reduce its use of fossil-fuels for environmental and financial reasons, the Department has installed 308 square metres of solar water heating panels in new and existing prisons in Canterbury, Wellington, Hawkes Bay, Wanganui and Waikato.
"The $218,000 cost for installing the panels was a sound investment by the Department which has been firmly focused on achieving energy efficiency since 2002," Energy Manager Cees Ebskamp says.
"It was a carefully planned move that should help save the Department - one of New Zealand’s largest users of domestic/commercial hot water - considerable money in the long-term."
"The criteria for the award we've won was to encourage, promote and support energy efficiency, energy conservation and the use of renewable energy sources. By winning, we know we are moving in the right direction."
Financial assistance from the Government's solar leadership initiative enabled the Department to install solar water heating in the Christchurch Men's Prison laundry. A hybrid system consisting of 21 solar panels and a high efficiency gas boiler were installed to replace the diesel operated system that previously heated the 7,000 litres of hot water used there daily.
Since then, 36 solar panels have been installed in the new Spring Hill Corrections facility - now the largest solar water heating system site in New Zealand.
Prime Minister Rt Hon Helen Clark presented the 2007 Renewable Energy Award to Corrections Chief Executive Barry Matthews, Mr Ebskamp, Property Management Manager Phil Butter and Sustainability Support Adviser Dennis Hayes on October 10.
Corrections is now evaluating the potential for solar water heating to be installed in all Corrections buildings and facilities - including off-prison sites. A national solar water heating study launched at the end of July this year will see a priority list of sites selected for solar water heating based on return on investment and reduction of C02 emissions.
Corrections' outstanding performance in energy management was first recognised in 2006 when the Department won the overall Public Service category of the Energy-Wise Awards (ECCA) as well as the Leadership in Operational Sustainability Award in the then new Govt3 programme.
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