RANAU: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) is considering to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to expand its Energy Efficient (EE) Light programme to other schools or even higher learning institutes in the State.
This followed the encouraging success of the programme currently implemented at the SESB’s adopted school here (SK Randagong), which managed to significantly reduce its monthly electricity bills while at the same time promoting energy efficiency awareness among its students and staff.
“We have always wanted to expand this programme to involve more organisations but we do not have the financial capacity to carry through on this. But right now we are cooperating with the State Education Department for our awareness campaign,” he said.
SESB introduced the EE Light programme at the school by changing all its conventional light bulbs with energy saving LEDs in September last year, and helped reduce the school’s electricity bill by about 30 per cent the next month.
SESB managing director Ir Hj Abd Razak Sallim said the company also helped install all the new 35 LED bulbs for free and encouraged the school to change its other electrical appliances with those that are more energy efficient.
Apart from using less electricity, the EE light bulbs also produce brighter light.
“Our goal is to have everyone using EE appliances, not just for lighting but for all their household needs. For a start, apart from promoting awareness among the public, we are now working with building owners to help them reduce their power intake.
“Currently we are energy audit operators at SEDCO Building and Kinabalu Daya Hotel where we help them plan and manage their electricity usage,” he said.
Razak said the response to EE programmes had been encouraging so far, with the City Hall taking the lead in adopting the environmental approach.
He noted that SESB had signed an MoU with the City Hall to include EE activities in the planning of its future and ongoing development programmes.
In fact, he said the City Hall had recently announced it would use EE bulbs for all its street lighting.
Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun who officiated at the launch of the programme yesterday, commended SESB for its initiative and called on other organisations to adopt a similar programme as their corporate social responsibility activities.
Masidi, who is also Karanaan assemblyman, also announced RM50,000 allocation for building a new multipurpose hall for the school.