HK targets to cut 30 pct building electric usage by 2030

Ir Collin Chung, president of the Hong Kong Association of Energy Engineers, speaks at the conference held on Monday under theme of sustainable development through energy efficiency and conservation. (APD/Pan Jie).

Hong Kong aims to reduce 30 percent of absolute electricity used in buildings by the year 2030 as compared to the 2005 level, said Ir Collin Chung, president of the Hong Kong Association of Energy Engineers on Monday.

The vision, also named HK3030 Campaign, was proposed by Hong Kong Green Building Council last December, aiming to develop a low-carbon and sustainable built environment for Hong Kong.

Speaking at a conference on sustainable development through energy efficiency and conservation, Chung said HKSAR government has made substantial efforts to achieving that goal. Since the government’s implementation of Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance (BEEO) last September, all buildings are required to meet the minimum energy efficiency standards while commercial buildings are required to carry out energy audit, the results of which have to be displayed at the main entrance of the buildings.

“Ten years after the implementation of BEEO, we are expected to see 1.96 million tones carbon emission reduction, and 2.8 billion KWh electricity saving. Wong said, adding that there are also economic benefits such as savings in energy bills and longer equipment operation life.

Hon Bernard Charnwut Chan, chairman of Council for sustainable development (SDC), said that buildings account for 90 percent of total electricity consumption and 60 percent of green house gas emission.

“In 2011, we launched a public engagement on combating climate change, energy saving and carbon emission reduction in buildings. We were targeting major building using groups to identify measures to improve building efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. Chan said.

He noted that the key lesson from the engagement exercise is the need for all sectors of the community to act together and reflect on what people can do to help conserve energy.

Given that Hong Kong SAR government will build more public housing in the coming years, as indicated in chief executive CY Leung’s policy address, Ada Fung, deputy director of the government Housing Authority, said her department has seen opportunities to reduce carbon emission right at the beginning of designing and planning stage.

“That’s why we’ve developed the carbon emission estimation model to assess buildings, Fung said. “We’ve laid a very ambitious benchmark, and for every new design they must make sure they can conform to this norm.