24°C air-conditioning rule seen as smart move to boost energy efficiency

KUALA LUMPUR (April 5): The government’s directive to set a minimum air-conditioning temperature of 24 degrees Celsius in all government offices, effective immediately, has been described as a practical and science-based measure to enhance national energy efficiency.

Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Prof Ir Dr Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir, said the move addresses the issue of “overcooling”, which leads to higher energy consumption without significantly improving comfort.

The chairman of UPM Solar for University’s Research and Investment Accelerations (SURIA) explained that 24 degrees Celsius is within the recommended indoor comfort range of 23°C to 26°C, and aligns with practices in several countries, including Japan (28°C), Singapore (25°C) and India (24°C).

“Technically, every one-degree Celsius increase can save about seven per cent of cooling energy. Raising the temperature from 22°C to 24°C could result in about 14 per cent savings in air-conditioning energy, translating to a seven to eight per cent reduction in overall electricity consumption for buildings,” he told Bernama.

He added that the setting strikes a practical balance between comfort and efficiency, particularly in Malaysia’s tropical climate.

Mohd Zainal Abidin said the measure should not be viewed as a short-term response to rising energy costs, but as part of the country’s long-term energy efficiency agenda.

He also sees this move as not just a short-term response to cost and energy supply pressures, but in line with the country’s long-term agenda in energy efficiency.

From a technical and governance perspective, the move is also very consistent with the long-term agenda for energy efficiency as Malaysia now has a more formal framework through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2024 (EECA 2024), which emphasises energy management, audits, building energy intensity performance, energy management appointments and efficiency improvement plans.

“Although prompted by current energy challenges, this policy represents a shift towards a new normal in managing energy use in public sector buildings,” he said.

Mohd Zainal, who is also a Principal Researcher at the UPM Advanced Lightning, Power and Energy Research Centre (ALPER), pointed out that the main challenge lies not in policy implementation, but in monitoring compliance and addressing user attitudes, particularly the “not my money” mindset.

Meanwhile, the deputy president of a consumer organisation, Pertubuhan Mesra Pengguna Malaysia (PMPM), Azlin Othman, said the approach is both realistic and consistent with engineering guidelines, which recommend temperatures between 23°C and 26°C for optimal comfort and energy savings.

“In Malaysia’s tropical climate, 24°C remains comfortable for most workers and does not affect productivity if applied consistently.

“This measure can have an immediate impact, as air-conditioning accounts for a significant portion of electricity consumption in large buildings such as government offices,” she said.

Azlin added that beyond reducing government utility costs, the move sends a strong signal to consumers and industries to adopt more prudent energy use.

She stressed that the policy’s impact would be even greater if the private sector, one of the largest energy consumers, also adopts similar practices.

Previously, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said energy consumption controls in government buildings would be tightened, including setting air-conditioning temperatures at a minimum of 24°C.

The move reflects the government’s commitment to lead by example in promoting energy conservation while addressing the global energy challenge. – Bernama