The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, today (June 21) launched the Energy Saving for All 2018 Campaign to encourage the public to combat climate change by saving energy. Joined by campaign mascot Hanson at the launch event, Mr Wong also presented awards to organisations from different sectors to commend them for their support and contributions to the promotion of energy saving.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mr Wong said that to combat climate change, the Government is dedicated to promoting low-carbon transformation in Hong Kong and is proactively taking multi-pronged measures to reduce carbon emissions. Noting that Hong Kong is moving towards the target of reducing its carbon intensity by 65 to 70 per cent by 2030 from the 2005 level, Mr Wong stressed that public participation is indispensable in order to achieve the target. He said he hoped that the campaign can raise public awareness of energy conservation and promote different ways to conserve energy through experience sharing to achieve the goal of "Energy Saving for All".
Jointly organised by the Environment Bureau and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Energy Saving for All 2018 Campaign comprises the Energy Saving Charter 2018, the 4Ts Charter, the Energy Saving Championship Scheme 2018 and the Award Presentation Ceremony of the Energy Saving Championship Scheme 2017.
Over the past decade, the annual electricity consumption of air-conditioning in Hong Kong has accounted for about 30 per cent of total power consumption, with electricity expenditure amounting to over $13 billion each year. The Government launched the Energy Saving Charter on Indoor Temperature in 2012 and invited the building and property management sectors to sign up to the Charter by pledging to maintain the average indoor temperature at their premises between 24 and 26 degrees Celsius during the mid-summer months from June to September to reduce electricity consumption on air-conditioning.
About 3 600 organisations have signed up to the Energy Saving Charter this year. Apart from pledging to maintain the appropriate indoor temperature at their properties, they have also pledged to switch off appliances when not in use and procure energy-efficient appliances. In addition, appreciation certificates will be presented to organisations that successfully recruit a significant number of shops or offices to sign up to the Charter, with a view to further promoting participation of shops and offices in the Charter scheme and encouraging the building and property management sectors, tenants, occupants and staff to adopt the energy saving practices together.
As for the 4Ts Charter, over 1 300 premises have pledged to join the Charter by setting a target with a timeline, ensuring transparency to track the energy saving result, and encouraging people to work together on the energy saving target.
At today's ceremony, Mr Wong and the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Alfred Sit, also presented awards to winning organisations of the Energy Saving Championship Scheme 2017. In view of the different scales of the participating groups and organisations, the Energy Saving Championship Scheme was divided into two categories, with International Commerce Centre and St Teresa Secondary School being awarded as the champions of the two groups. Other participants in the Group 1 category included shopping malls, offices, commercial or industrial buildings, residential buildings and housing estates, hospitals, hotels and post-secondary education institutions, while Group 2 included offices, shops, restaurants, non-governmental organisations, kindergartens and primary and secondary schools. This year's competition received an encouraging response with a total of 317 premises participating in the two categories. The winning organisations will take the lead to promote energy saving among the industries by discussing their exemplary experience in seminars, as well as share their energy saving initiatives with the public by posting green tips on the "Energy Saving for All" website.
The Energy Saving for All 2018 Campaign will also feature the Energy Saving Championship Scheme to encourage the adoption of innovative technologies in energy saving and renewable energy by internal teams of various industry organisations or through collaboration with innovative technology partners, so as to promote concerted efforts among the industries in low-carbon transformation. A new category has also been created for students to join the campaign to inspire the creativity and imagination of young people in energy saving and the development of renewable energy.
For details of the Energy Saving for All 2018 Campaign and the full list of winning organisations of Energy Saving Championship Scheme 2017, please visit the thematic website: www.energysaving.gov.hk/en/home/index.html.
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