Newsroom
News & Press Releases
Spokespeople
Assets
Blog
Contact us
ACTION NEEDED TO CURB RESURGENCE IN ENERGY WASTE AFTER LOCKDOWN, SAYS SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 27/03/2021
Press Release energy efficiency energy management net zero
Un-lockdown preparations should include action to reduce CO2e emissions
Revealing time-lapse video shows the extent of Londons pre-pandemic Energy Waste
70% of lights in the capital stay switched on overnight
Need for better ventilation could exacerbate energy waste
London, UK - March 27 - Ahead of Earth Hour (Saturday, March 27th), Schneider Electric, the global energy management and automation firm, is calling on businesses to include CO2e reduction on their list of post-lockdown priorities. This years event coincides with many companies dusting off their plans for a safe return to the office this summer. However, energy waste is the UKs third largest source of CO2 emissions, with at least 117 million tonnes generated by lost or wasted energy each year.[1] When workers start to return to cities in more significant numbers, energy consumption, bills, and waste are likely to bounce back to these startling pre-Covid levels, if not become even higher.
Schneider has released a revealing time-lapse video showing the true extent of energy waste in London pre-pandemic as a reminder of what is at stake. Before the first lockdown in 2020, the company captured 5,400 high-definition images of light levels across the London skyline, finding that between 8:00pm and midnight, the time when people typically head home and retire to bed, light levels across the capital only fall by 30 per cent and remained more or less constant until 4:00am the following morning. By depicting energy waste in London, Schneider Electric hopes to help change perceptions and encourage action.
A staggering 28% of all energy-related CO2 emissions come from commercial and residential buildings.[2] During April 2020, more than half (57.2%)[3]of workers living in London were working from home, which contributed to a 19 per cent fall in electricity consumption from commercial premises, public administration, transport, and agriculture in Q2 2020, to 17.34 TWh - down from 21.42 TWh in the same period in 2019.[4]
Perhaps the most shocking thing about energy waste is that most of us dont even recognise it when we see it, commented Kelly Becker, Schneider Electric Zone President UK & Ireland. Nighttime cityscapes make beautiful images that are more likely to be hung as art on walls or downloaded as wallpaper on electronic devices than viewed as a depiction of energy waste. Its too easy to leave the office without switching the lights off, and this is just the one aspect of energy inefficiency that in the long run also costs businesses money and makes buildings less healthy and comfortable places to work in. As the economy reignites and people head back to the office in greater numbers, wouldnt it be incredible if we could avoid returning to previous levels of pollution and emissions, while also supporting better standards of public health? We need to address all this if we are to avoid going back to the bad old ways and build a truly green recovery.
Light is by no means the only source of energy waste. Energy is lost or wasted at every stage of its journey to our homes and businesses, in generation, transmission and our day-to-day use. With more emphasis placed on ventilation post-Covid, there could be even greater inefficiencies with heat lost through open windows. Schneider Electric has found that 82% of the potential means to reduce energy waste in buildings alone remains untapped. It has calculated that if we reduce energy consumption in just half of the worlds existing buildings by between 30-50%, and continue to electrify and decarbonise energy sources, we could halve global emissions by 2040.
The measures and technologies needed to reduce energy consumption and waste, while also ensuring sufficient fresh air circulation to mitigate the potential transmission of air-borne viruses such as SARSCoV-2, and make buildings safer and more comfortable, are already widely available. They range from insulation, double or triple glazing, LED lighting and smart energy devices, to technologically advanced HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) and smart building control systems that adjust temperature and lighting according to actual occupancy levels. Businesses have an opportunity to leverage the power of these and other technologies to track and reduce carbon emissions, while following guidance on ventilation, reducing bills, and contributing to achieving Britains long-term carbon emissions goals.
Reducing energy waste doesnt always require lifestyle changes, large scale investment in infrastructure or development of new technologies, but it can make a huge difference to our carbon emissions. But its too easy to leave the office or home without switching the lights off and investing in energy-saving measures frequently requires an upfront investment. Whilst the investment will pay for itself in the long run, many landlords, businesses and individuals either cant access the money needed or would prefer to spend it elsewhere. If we are going to curb energy waste, we need tighter building standards on both new builds and existing building stock, added Kelly Becker.
Footnotes
^ [1] Schneider Electric Research, 2018
^ [2] https://www.iea.org/reports/tracking-buildings-2020
^ [3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/coronavirusandhomeworkingintheuk/april2020
^ [4] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electricity-section-5-energy-trends
United Kingdom
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
The Official Trailer of Physical 100 Italy, on Netflix From Se...
29/05/2026
Genelec announces V2.1 for Aural ID binaural headphone monitoring application posted: 29/05/2026
Aural ID 2.1 enhances binaural monitoring for stereo and ...
29/05/2026
At just 20 years old, Sean Melia from Summerhill Co. Meath has been revealed as the winner of Super Garden 2026. Sean is the youngest ever contestant and winner...
Newsroom 
