AQO 194/22-27 Oral question to the Assembly Commission
To ask the Assembly Commission to provide an assessment of how it is progressing with its net zero targets.
Asked by John Blair MLA on 7 March 2024
- Answered
- Oral
- Answered in the Chamber
- Tabled
- 7 March 2024
- Answer due by
- 19 March 2024
- Answered
- 19 March 202412 days after tabling
- Department
- Northern Ireland Assembly Commission
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Answered in the Assembly Chamber on 19 March 2024. Extract from the Official Report (Hansard), including any supplementary questions:
Mr Butler
I thank the Member for his question. The Assembly Commission strives to be an exemplar organisation in sustainable development and has implemented a range of measures to enhance energy efficiency and improve the environmental performance of Parliament Buildings. They include installing a building energy management system to better manage the time schedules for heating and ventilation, the installation of lower-power LEDs and becoming a conservation area for native black bees. The Assembly Commission sets ambitious targets in relation to energy use, waste generated and paper consumption and is committed to achieving year-on-year reductions. For example, for the reporting year 2022-23, we managed a 29·4% reduction in electricity usage, an 8·6% reduction in gas usage and a 51·6% reduction in waste generated, against the baseline year of 2008-09. The Assembly Commission’s sustainable development unit works closely with a number of partners to introduce energy-saving solutions and ensure continuous improvement in our energy efficiency. One such example is working with the Department for the Economy in relation to the geothermal technology on the Stormont estate and investigating possible options for heating.
Mr Blair
I thank the Commission member for that answer. As part of the aim to reach net zero, are there any plans to review the electric vehicle charging provision at Parliament Buildings and, perhaps, to extend it to e-bike charging?
Mr Butler
I thank the Member for his question. It is a really good question. That will be kept under review by the Commission. It is a valid point, and the Commission will visit it this afternoon. I will make sure that it is on the agenda at that point.
Madam Principal Deputy Speaker
Question 6 has been withdrawn. I will move on. Questions 7, 8 and 15 have been grouped.