The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department today (December 29) announced that the new energy efficiency grading standards for single package type room air-conditioners, dehumidifiers and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) under the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme (MEELS) will be fully implemented on December 31. The new standards aim to encourage suppliers to introduce more energy-efficient models and help consumers select such products.
 
     Starting from December 31, single package type room air-conditioners, dehumidifiers and CFLs must bear energy labels in compliance with the new energy efficiency grading standards before they are supplied to the local market. The prefix "U2" will be added to the reference number on the new energy label.
 
     The implementation of the new energy efficiency grading standards is expected to bring an energy saving of about 300 million kilowatt hours per year, which is equivalent to an annual reduction of carbon emissions by about 210 000 tonnes.
 
     The Code of Practice on Energy Labelling of Products was revised last year with the energy efficiency grading standards for the aforementioned three products raised by about 35 per cent. A grace period of one year will end tomorrow (December 30).
 
     For more information about the MEELS and the new energy efficiency grading standards, please visit the thematic website of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (www.emsd.gov.hk/energylabel).

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Yuen Long this morning (December 29) in which a 75-year-old woman died.

     At around 8.31am, a light goods vehicle (LGV) driven by a 42-year-old man was travelling southbound along Wang Lok Street. When turning right to Ma Wang Road, the LGV reportedly knocked down the 75-year-old woman who was crossing the road.

     Sustaining head injury, the woman was rushed to Pok Oi Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 9.06am.

     The LGV driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and is being detained for further enquiries.

     Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories North is underway.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 3800.

     The Education Bureau (EDB) announced today (December 29) that the 2021/22 round of applications under the Enhancement and Start-up Grant Scheme for Self-financing Post-secondary Education (ESGS) is open.
 
     Launched in December 2020, the ESGS provides financial support for eligible self-financing post-secondary education institutions to develop and enhance programmes that meet market needs but require high start-up costs. It also helps alleviate the institutions' need to fully recover the set-up costs from tuition fees, thus relieving the financial burden on students.
 
     In the 2020/21 round of applications, six out of 22 applications were approved with a total grant of about $137 million. Details of the approved projects are as follows:
 

  
     "The approved projects under the inaugural round of applications of the ESGS covered a wide range of sectors, including allied health, financial, art and innovative technology, as well as maritime studies, which are conducive to catering for the keen manpower demand of the relevant industries. The ESGS also aims to help institutions better develop their own strengths and niche areas, strengthening strategic co-ordination between institutions. The EDB will maintain close liaison with relevant institutions with a view to making best use of the resources of the ESGS and launching the relevant programmes as soon as practicable," a spokesman for the EDB said.
 
     Applications for the 2021/22 round are invited from now until April 20, 2022. Independent non-profit-making education institutions offering full-time locally accredited local self-financing sub-degree or undergraduate (including top-up degree) programmes are eligible to apply. These institutions include:
 

1. Hong Kong Metropolitan University;
    
2. approved post-secondary colleges under the Post Secondary Colleges Ordinance (Cap. 320); and
    
3. post-secondary institutions registered under the Education Ordinance (Cap. 279).

      The ESGS covers both the development of new programmes and the enhancement of existing ones. It supports projects of the following nature, with a view to enhancing the teaching and learning in designated academic areas:
 

1. significant development/enhancement of programme curriculum and pedagogies;
    
2. recruitment/professional development of faculty members and teaching staff;
    
3. procurement/upgrade of market-standard equipment/facilities to meet academic and professional requirements;
    
4. provision of new/improvement to existing discipline-specific campus facilities/infrastructure; and
    
5. other relevant discipline-specific expenditure areas that are in alignment with the objective of the scheme.

 
      The Committee on Self-financing Post-secondary Education will advise on the comparative merits of the proposals received under the ESGS, and make recommendations to the Secretary for Education. Funding for each proposal will generally be subject to a cap of $42 million. 
 
     Further details of the ESGS and the approved projects can be found at www.cspe.edu.hk/en/esgs.html.

     The Working Family Allowance Office (WFAO) of the Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency today (December 29) launched its phase-two enhancement to the e-submission service of the Working Family Allowance (WFA) and a new Online Counter Appointment System (OCAS) to provide greater convenience for WFA applicants.

Enhanced e-submission service of WFA

     The WFAO has enhanced the e-submission service earlier to assist WFA applicants. After registration with an "iAM Smart" account, WFA recipients are now able to use e-prefilled forms prepared for them to submit new applications. Applicants may also check their submitted applications online and the contact details of the case officers responsible for handling their applications. Applicants who have upgraded to "iAM Smart+" accounts can also digitally sign and submit their applications online.

     As for the new functions of this phase-two enhancement, they include allowing applicants to withdraw the applications submitted, changing the personal information submitted, and applying for review/appeal online through "iAM Smart". Applicants may also check messages related to their applications and download notifications of their application results anytime.

     Members of the public may visit the website at eservices.wfsfaa.gov.hk/wfa/en to find out more about the e-submission service of the WFA and submit applications.

Online Counter Appointment System

     The WFAO launched the new OCAS (eservices.wfsfaa.gov.hk/ocas/en) at the same time to allow members of the public in need to make online bookings for its counter enquiry services at its Kwun Tong office, and request for the arrangement of necessary interpretation services during their visits.

     For details of the new services, please call the WFAO's hotline (2558 3000) or visit its website (www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/wfao).

     The Labour Department (LD) will hold a public talk entitled "Occupational Health for Residential Care Home Workers" on January 5 (Wednesday). Designed for residential care home workers to enhance their awareness of occupational health, the talk will elaborate on occupational health hazards and their preventive measures, and also include demonstrations and practice of workplace exercises.

     The talk will be given by the LD's occupational health nurse at 3.30pm in the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum, 10 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.

     The LD will hold another talk entitled "Work and Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases" on January 13 (Thursday). The talk will introduce healthy lifestyles and tips on protecting the heart and brain in the workplace to increase employers' and employees' awareness of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

     The talk will be given by the LD's occupational health nurse at 6.30pm in the Lecture Theatre of the Hong Kong Central Library, 66 Causeway Road, Causeway Bay.

     Both talks will be given in Cantonese. Admission is free but pre-registration is required. Interested participants can register online (www.oshsreg.gov.hk). On-site registration is not available. Infection control measures taking into account the latest epidemic developments will be adopted at both venues. For enquiries, please call 2852 4040.