XN000022-1992-11-19 — Page 15

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1992

"ALTHOUGH

IMPROVEMENT

AND

IN CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN THE DESIGN OF EQUIPMENT HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN ACHIEVING ENERGY EFFICIENCY, WE BELIEVE THAT THE REAL ENGINE WHICH WILL DRIVE THIS CHANGE WILL BE PUBLIC AWARENESS, HE ADDED.

11

MR EASON SAID HONG KONG'S FAST-GROWING ECONOMY HAD RESULTED IN A CORRESPONDINGLY RAPID GROWTH IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION, ADDING THAT THE MOST HEAVY ELECTRICITY CONSUMER IS THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR.

UP TO 40 PER CENT OF THE ELECTRICITY GENERATED IS USED BY THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR, WITH THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AT 31 PER CENT AND THE DOMESTIC SECTOR AT 21 PER CENT.

AT THE OPENING OF THE SYMPOSIUM EARLIER TODAY, THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS, MR JAMES BLAKE, ASSURED THE AUDIENCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS ALWAYS CONSCIOUS ABOUT ENERGY CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY.

MR BLAKE POINTED OUT THAT JUDICIOUS DESIGN AND CHOICE OF THE BUILDING SERVICES AND ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SYSTEMS WERE VITAL TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, SO WAS THE CONSCIENTIOUS ATTENTION IN OPERATING AND MAINTAINING THEM.

HE

AND

SAID: "FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE ELECTRICAL MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WE HAVE A CONTINUOUS PROGRAMME OF ENERGY OPTIMISATION AT THE KAI TAK AIRPORT, WITH THE ANNUAL SAVING IN ENERGY ESTIMATED TO BE MORE THAN $6 MILLION.

"SIMILAR ENERGY OPTIMISATION SCHEMES HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED IN MACAU FERRY TERMINAL AND SOME GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS WITH CONSIDERABLE SAVINGS ON ELECTRICITY COSTS.

IMPORTANCE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY OUTLINED

THE DIRECTOR OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES, PING-KI, TODAY (THURSDAY) OUTLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF PROMOTING EFFICIENCY IN HONG KONG.

MR KWOK ENERGY

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE SYMPOSIUM OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY BUILDING AT A KOWLOON HOTEL, MR KWOK SAID HONG KONG RELIED ON IMPORTS FOR ITS PRIMARY ENERGY, AND NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY WAS AT PRESENT A SCARCE RESOURCE IN THE WORLD.

HE SAID THE TERRITORY ITAD A 113 PER CENT INCREASE IN ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION BETWEEN 1979 AND 1988 WHEN COMPARED ΤΟ THE POPULATION GROWTH OF 20 PER CENT.

"THE TERRITORY IS THEREFORE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE ΤΟ EFFECTS OF ANY ENERGY PRICE FLUCTUATIONS WHICH COULD THREATEN WORLD TRADE ECONOMY, HE SAID.

++

THE

ITS

/MR KWOK