Recognising outstanding achievements in energy efficiency, the MEA Energy Awards 2023 celebrates buildings that prioritise sustainability and drive towards a greener future.
For the seventh consecutive year, MEA is proud to announce the launch of the MEA Energy Awards 2023, along with the Building Energy Consumption Efficiency Enhancement program. Building on the success of previous years, this initiative has attracted the participation of 500 buildings, resulting in the certification of 313 MEA energy-saving buildings. Applications for the seventh year of participation are now open.
Wilas Chaloeysat, the leader of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), emphasised MEA's commitment to its vision of "Energy for City Life Energize Smart Living." As a state-owned enterprise responsible for electricity distribution in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakarn, MEA is dedicated to transforming the electricity distribution system, ensuring it is modern, stable, and safe for metropolitan areas.
MEA is driving organisational transformation through its mission of "Energy for City Life Energize Smart Living," focusing on emerging changes through the policy called "CHANGE." One of the initiatives under this policy is the MEA Energy Awards, which has been successfully hosting its program since 2013 and will continue to do so until 2023. The awards aim to promote energy consumption efficiency in buildings and encourage building owners to utilise power efficiently, while establishing standards for appropriate energy consumption. Buildings in each category are evaluated based on the "Efficient Energy Consumption and Qualified Air Quality" concept, as defined by the MEA Index and IAQ.
As part of the MEA Energy Awards 2023, certified buildings will receive a 30,000 baht discount on service fees, including split-system cleaning maintenance, EV charger installation, and PM preventive maintenance. Moreover, the certified buildings will be eligible to receive a supporting fund of 1,000,000 baht each for improving their energy consumption, subject to MEA's terms and conditions. Proposals for building energy improvement can be submitted three times per year, and a total of 15 million baht in financial support is available to enhance building energy consumption by 2024. Successful applicants will contribute to nationwide energy conservation efforts and help reduce substantial building energy expenses.
The MEA Government further stated that in 2023, the program is expanding to include coffee shops and cafes, recognising their popularity and accessibility to the public. By certifying such premises, the MEA aims to promote energy-saving practices among a broader audience and encourage public engagement in energy-saving campaigns.
This year, MEA has made new improvements to its standards and evaluation criteria, ensuring they align with existing regulations in Thailand while incorporating the latest technology. The revised measures also place significant emphasis on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), as it directly affects the health and productivity of building occupants.
The IAQ assessment criteria utilised by MEA adhere to internationally acclaimed principles, with a focus on various parameters such as CO, CO2, PM2.5, PM10, TVOCs, and Formaldehyde. MEA Energy Awards 2023 certification for buildings is based on benchmarks provided by national and international standards, as well as the MEA Index and IAQ.
The primary objective of the 7th MEA Energy Awards 2023 is to raise awareness of the MEA Energy Awards through the certification logo, while instilling pride among building users in the following nine categories:
- Hospitals
- Hotels
- Office buildings
- Shopping malls
- Hypermarkets
- University buildings
- Schools
- Small shops/convenience stores
- Cafés/Coffee shops
The MEA Governor emphasised, "MEA Energy Awards serve as an evaluating framework for energy-saving building standards. The awards aim to foster public pride and raise awareness among society about energy efficiency trends, ultimately leading the country towards reduced energy consumption and ensuring sustainable energy for future generations. Cooperation from the public and government sectors is essential in supporting buildings to prioritise long-term energy conservation."
In 2022, out of 512 participating buildings, 313 MEA energy-saving buildings were recognised, with a total of 374 improvement measures implemented over the course of six years. These efforts resulted in an energy-saving effect of 46.33 million units, equivalent to savings of 180.93 million baht on electricity bills, and a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 26,589 tonnes.
The application period for the MEA Energy Awards 2023 project is open from June 2023 to July 2024. The call for applications is specifically targeting 120 buildings within the MEA's service areas, namely Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and Samut Prakan, until May 31, 2024.
For buildings interested in participating in the MEA Energy Awards 2023, please contact MEA for a free evaluation and obtain the application form via meaaward@gmail.com or download it from www.meaenergyawards.info. For further information, please reach out to King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) at 0 2470 9604-6, extensions 1202, 1302, or contact 09 5775 7972 and 08 4011 3888 during official hours. You can also stay updated by following @meaenergyawards and visiting www.facebook.com/MEAAward.