Bandid Au-aporn, deputy research director of Chulalongkorn University's Energy Research Institute, said the institute had been assigned by the Alternative Energy and Conservation Department to study energy consumption in shopping complexes.

"In the business sector, these buildings consume a high amount of energy, due to their giant size and long service hours. However, there are ways to reduce that consumption, and under this project we are finding ways to increase their competitiveness and reduce the country's overall energy use," Bandid said.

More than 20 shopping complexes have joined the programme, which will be

officially launched on February 8 to attract more partici-

pants.

Under the study programme, 20 shopping complexes of various sizes from all regions will be selected. The institute will then measure energy consumption per square metre, per client, per sales receipt and per staff member.

The study will also involve questionnaires sent to 200 additional shopping complexes across the country. All results will then be collated and announced.

"The study should enable shopping complexes to know their energy-consumption ratio, and they can compare it with their competitors'.

This will show how energy-

efficient they are," said

Bandid.

The institute surveyed 1,646 buildings that fall under the Energy Conservation Promotion Act and the Building Control Act, and the survey showed that shopping complexes consume the highest amount of energy.

Air-conditioning systems account for the bulk of consumption at 43 per cent, with 25 per cent for lighting and 32 per cent for other needs, including elevators and escalators.

Subject to the two Acts are shopping complexes, hotels, office buildings, hospitals and educational institutions.

Annually, for all usable space excluding parking space, shopping complexes consume 307.3 kilowatts of power per square metre on average.

This compares with 198kW for office buildings and 134.9kW for hospitals.

Contributing to the high energy consumption is the design of shopping complexes. Almost entirely built with cement walls, they cannot use natural light, instead relying on electricity to power lighting systems.