Stung By Higher Oil Prices, Companies Get Stingy on Energy

Companies are being aggressive in energy conservation. They are working out various energy conservation ideas to tide over oil price hikes.

Turning Off Lights in Signs-

Family Mart, a convenience store chain, now turns off part of its lights in its large signs from 1:00 to 6:00 a.m., a practice that they began on October 1. As a convenience store that operates 24 hours a day, the company cannot turn off its electric sign entirely and for this reason, partially turns off its signs’ lights but leaves the logo bright.

Galleria department stores also decided to turn off signs for two to five hours after closing depending on each branch. The department store previously left its lights on after closing for promotion purposes. Also, a timer will be installed in vending machines and water purifiers in various departments to automatically cut off power at night.

Hotels like the Shilla and Millennium Seoul Hilton decreased by half the number of elevators operating late at night when there are fewer hotel guests.

A Small Idea Leads to Money Saved-

Renaissance Seoul Hotel distributed cups, a company asset, to its employees, which is intended to reduce the water consumption while employees brush their teeth after lunch using the cups.

Lotte Confectionary attached the “ten commandments of driving that conserve energy” to some 3,000 rest rooms and urinals in its headquarters, plants, dealer shops and outlets. The company believes that if drivers of its more than 2,000 business trucks follow the instructions, the overuse of energy can be prevented to a great extent.

Considering that the cargo compartment of a truck is exposed to a great deal of air pressure, Pulmuone is reviewing the possibility of an installment of spoilers (which reduce air pressure) connecting the roof of driver’s seats and the cargo compartments.

Large Buildings are Tightening their Belts-

KAA, a real estate asset management company, is fully engaged in a campaign of conserving energy by one percent. The company manages 25 large office buildings, including Star Tower in the Gangnam area, Seoul and the Seoul Finance Center in Taepyeongno, Seoul. The company is targeting an annual saving of 1.1 billion won in electricity bills from some 20 buildings through the adjustment of its indoors lighting systems.

63 City, which manages the 63 Building, set a goal of shrinking energy consumption more than five percent compared to last year. Lights are programmed to be automatically turned off within the office if the office is brightened by sunlight to a certain satisfactory standard of brightness.

COEX, which manages the Korea World Trade Center in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, has put in place a system called “energy guard,” in which some 400 employees, including security guards, check energy-wasting factors in their assigned districts.

Jin-Suk Huh jameshuh@donga.com imsoo@donga.com