The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) was represented at a one-day meeting hosted by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) in collaboration with the German Metrology Institute, on the Collaborative Labelling Appliances and Standards Programme (CLASP).
The seminar focused on the use of standards to reduce energy demand and usage in Lighting, Refrigerators and Air Conditioning Units.
Janice Hilarie, Coordinator, Resource Mobilisation and Programme Development, CROSQ said discussions would have been held with consultants on establishing minimum energy performance and labelling standards for appliances. Hilarie explained that the meeting is part of a “R3 project that sees strengthening of the Regional Quality Infrastructure Services available to Electrical Appliances.”
“Given what is happening in the energy sector and the effects of climate change we are trying to do something new in the region by having consumers work with electrical appliances that are energy efficient. However, we do not have the capacity (at the moment) to look at all the appliances, (so we are just focusing on these three),” Hilarie said.
She further explained that the R3 project has three components; one includes the standardisation component, which involves developing standards on renewable energy technologies such as solar water heaters and PV panels. Additionally, Hilarie added that “standards cannot work on their own so we are looking at developing two to three labs in region where we look at the testing services that will be needed to ensure that the appliances are energy efficient”.
Candelle Walcott-Bostwick, Executive Director, GNBS, said the agency is collaborating with the other bodies in order to develop standards for energy efficiency and the creation of a standards label. The sticker, to be placed on the three appliances, will carry information on the amount of energy the equipment consumes. A system allowing consumers to verify the labels is also being developed.
Also in attendance was Jonathan Krull M.A, Project Coordinator, Technical Cooperation, Physikalisch- Technische Bundesanstalt, Germany. (DPI)
