Government departments implement “Work from Home” again to save energy

Government departments have started to turn off the lights and computers to save energy, by implementing a “Work from Home” directive, similar to that seen during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, but with a very different intention this time.

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More than three months after the Energy Efficiency Plan for the General State Administration was approved, each ministry has begun to organise itself and reach agreements with unions such as CCOO and CSI-F to apply the measures, which involves working from home, teleworking, two to three days a week to officials whose work does not require going to the office.

For example, those of the Ministry of Finance will telework a minimum of two days a week and a maximum of three, which in some departments translates into working at home Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Other areas, such as the Ministries of Labour and Consumption, will telework Monday and Friday.

The reorganisation of the public offices dependent on the central government responds to compliance with the Energy Savings Plan that was approved in May and that the ministries are now beginning to adapt to their own circumstances. It is expected to be applied in reality at the end of this month, or the beginning of October.

The Framework Plan establishes that in general there may be teleworking for a maximum of three days. The objective is that, in addition to saving fuel to go to their jobs, since these are empty during part of the week, it will be possible to turn off lights and computers and remove the air conditioning or heating in entire wings of the ministerial offices.

The central government expects communities and municipalities to do something similar. It has not precisely estimated how much energy can be saved with the efficiency plan in the Public Administration, but it is included in the decisions that have been taken so far to fulfil the commitment with Brussels to reduce gas consumption by 7% between August 2022 and March 2023, to which another objective will be added, which the EU will agree on shortly, to save between 5 and 10% in electricity consumption.

In addition to energy consumption, it is common in agreements between unions and ministries that officials can telework for health reasons or, in the case of women, due to pregnancy.