Miscellaneous electric loads in Malaysian buildings - Energy management opportunities and regulatory requirements

Energy efficiency enhancement in the building sector is crucial due to the escalating energy cost and continuously depleting energy resources. The energy consumed by electrical appliances, which is categorized under miscellaneous electric loads (MELs), often takes a significant portion of the total energy consumption in buildings and it is increasing rapidly. With the growing number of MELs being used in the semi-periphery countries, driven by higher economic and population growth rates, efficient use of these small and energy-consuming devices is essential to make buildings more sustainable. This paper reviews the energy management opportunities (EMOs) of MELs in both commercial and residential buildings in Malaysia by taking the legislative and regulatory requirements of such appliances into consideration. Two case studies were carried out to identify the EMOs of the MELs in Malaysian buildings and a comparison was made with the findings of previous research studies. Several issues related to MELs are also highlighted, such as the distribution and marketing of uncertified electrical items, absence of mandatory energy efficiency testing and labelling requirements on certain appliances, extension of regulatory coverage to the presently non-regulated equipment and awareness of the locals about purchasing certified electrical products.