IV
SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1977
FOR ITS PILOT STUDY THE COMMITTEE CHOSE THE P.W.D. HEAD- QUARTERS, THE 20-STOREY MURRAY BUILDING IN GARDEN ROAD. THE GROUP'S INTERIM REPORT SHOWS THAT BY SIMPLY TIGHTENING UP ON EXISTING ENERGY USES IN THE MURRAY BUILDING -- SOMETHING TOTALLY ASIDE FROM NEW OR ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES - THE SAVINGS CAN BE QUITE BIG.
+WE'VE SHOWN THAT WE CAN SAVE SOMETHING LIKE $69,000 A YEAR JUST BY OVERHAULING AND MODIFYING THE LIGHTING SYSTEM, + SAYS MR. AU. +OUR FIRST MOVE WAS TO REDUCE THE BUILDING'S ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BY PARTIALLY SWITCHING OFF LIGHTS TO LIFT LOBBIES AND CORRIDORS AND AT THE SAME TIME IMPROVING THE LIGHT OUTPUT FROM THE FITTINGS BY CLEANING THE DIFFUSERS. WE ESTIMATE THAT THIS STEP ALONE CAN SAVE US $40,000 A YEAR.
+NEXT, WE TOOK A LOOK AT AREAS WHERE LIGHTING HAD TO BE MAINTAINED FOR LONG HOURS TOILETS, STAIRCASES AND CAR PARKS. WE FOUND THAT BY REARRANGING THE CIRCUITS AND REPLACING THE EXISTING TUNGSTEN LAMPS WITH FLUORESCENT TUBES WE COULD SAVE ANOTHER $29,000 ANNUALLY.
+ALSO, WE PROVED THAT WE COULD BOTH CONSERVE ELECTRICITY AND IMPROVE THE LIGHTING OUTPUT BY ABOUT 25 PER CENT JUST BY REPLACING EXISTING OPAL DIFFUSERS WHICH BECOME DIM WITH AGE WITH CLEAR PRISMATIC DIFFUSERS MADE OF ACRYLIC PERSPEX.+
THE COMMITTEE PLANS TO TACKLE THE MURRAY BUILDING'S BIGGEST ENERGY CONSUMER, THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM, DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WITH PORTABLE ENERGY MEASURING EQUIPMENT DUE TO BE DELIVERED IN AUGUST. IN ITS INTERIM REPORT IT HAS POINTED OUT THAT +SOME DEGREE OF FINE TUNING ON THE PLANT IS POSSIBLE TO EFFECT SAVING IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION.+
FRANK AU'S ULTIMATE AIM TO BRING IN A CHEAPER SOURCE OF POWER FOR HONG KONG'S VORACIOUS AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEMS - 15 STILL IN THE THEORETICAL STAGE. HE BELIEVES THE AIR-CONDITIONING BILL CAN BE CUT BY USING SOLAR ENERGY INSTEAD OF OIL-FUELLED ELECTRICITY, BUT WARNS THAT HONG KONG WILL NEED TO KNOW A GREAT DEAL MORE ABOUT SOLAR ENERGY THROUGH PRACTICAL APPLICATION TO LOCAL CONDITIONS BEFORE THE IDEA CAN BE REGARDED AS ANYTHING MORE THAN A DREAM.
+WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE IF SOLAR ENERGY CAN BE USED ON A LARGE SCALE IN HONG KONG, HE SAYS. AT THIS STAGE WE CAN ONLY REGARD IT AS A POSSIBLE AUXILIARY TO OIL-BASED ENERGY, EVEN FOR THE PROCESS OF PROVIDING HOT WATER.
+BUT AT LEAST WE'RE MAKING A START MODEST AS IT MAY BE BY COMMISSIONING HONG KONG'S FIRST OFFICIAL SOLAR ENERGY STUDY.+
THIS STUDY IS TO BE CARRIED OUT ON A CONSULTANCY BASIS BY PROF. E.A. BRUGES, HEAD OF HONG KONG UNIVERSITY'S MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. COMMISSIONED BY THE P.W.D. ON BEHALF OF THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE STUDY WILL EXPLORE WAYS IN WHICH SOLAR ENERGY CAN SUPPLEMENT EXISTING HEATING SYSTEMS FOR HONG KONG'S PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS AND BATHHOUSES.
/MORRISON HILL