Electricity Authority launches new edition of the MEA Energy Awards
As part of its efforts to support sustainability, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) has launched the latest edition of its 2023 MEA Energy Awards project, which aims to promote the effective use of energy and good air quality inside commercial buildings.
The project, which rewards efficient energy use and standardised air quality, is the seventh edition of this initiative in the past 11 years, MEA Governor Wilas Chaloeysat said during the inaugural event on Tuesday at the Renaissance Hotel in Bangkok.
King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) is collaborating on the project.
Project manager Assoc.Prof. Dr. Apichit Therdyothin explained that the 2023 MEA Energy Awards would offer participating commercial buildings the “MEA Energy Awards badge”, together with other benefits if they can meet the two requirements, namely the MEA Index and IAQ.
The former measures the efficient use of energy, while the latter evaluates the air quality inside the building.
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Apichit, who is also a lecturer at KMUTT ’s School of Energy Environment and Materials, said that owners of any buildings interested in taking part in an evaluation have to send an application to MEA via email at [email protected] between now and May 31, 2024. Entry is free.
Participating buildings must be located in the provinces under the purview of the MEA, namely Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.
Those who would like to be involved in the project but do not own the entire building, are considered eligible if they own or rent more than 60% of the building's total area, excluding parking space, he added.
MEA reserves the right to limit rewards to those who have the proper documentation and to bar participants who have already won awards in prior events, he added.
Assoc.Prof. Dr. Apichit said that the two measurements– MEA Index and IAQ - are reasonable, as they vary in specifics when used to evaluate different types of buildings, unlike other international standards.
He said that any building receiving the accolade must have an MEA Index no higher than 1.00. The MEA Index can be calculated by the formula MEA index = Eactual ÷ Ebudget
Eactual is the total amount of electricity consumed over a year, whereas Ebudget is the predicted quantity of electricity consumed, he added.
According to data from MEA, roughly 53% of the electricity used nationwide can be attributed to commercial buildings.
In terms of the IAQ, the assessment will be made by examining the harmful gases, such as carbon dioxide and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), in at least 40 areas within the buildings and through the installation of equipment to test the air quality.
Buildings require an air quality index that is appropriate for their type of structure and an MEA Index that is no higher than 1.00 in order to get the MEA Energy Awards.
MEA Governor Wilas Chaloeysat said other benefits offered to those who pass the criteria include a 30,000-baht discount on three MEA services, namely air conditioner cleaning, EV car charging, and preventive maintenance of equipment.
Owners will further benefit from specialist advice on how to make their buildings reach sustainable goals, even if they do not earn a badge.
MEA also offers financial aid for buildings to attain the criteria subject to their meeting MEA requirements.
More than 500 buildings have been entered into the awards throughout the six earlier projects, with 313 receiving the accolade. This has saved up to 180.93 million baht and reduced CO2 emissions by 26,589 tonnes, Wilas said.
(Co-writer: Nuttida Chowvigran)
