ENG-2012 — Page 290

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The Environment

Department's Energy Efficiency Office runs a range of programmes and initiatives to promote efficient use of energy, including a number of voluntary energy efficiency labelling and registration schemes; encouraging wider use of water-cooled air-conditioning systems and promoting effective energy management methods.

The Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme requires prescribed products for supply in Hong Kong to include energy labels informing consumers of the products' energy efficiency. The scheme currently covers room air-conditioners, refrigerating appliances, compact fluorescent lamps, washing machines and dehumidifiers.

As buildings account for about 90 per cent of electricity consumed, promoting their efficient use of energy is instrumental in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance came into full force in September 2012, making implementation of the Building Energy Codes mandatory to improve energy efficiency in new and existing buildings.

The Government is implementing a district cooling system (DCS) at the Kai Tak Development to provide chilled water to non-domestic developments for air-conditioning. It is an energy- efficient system which consumes 35 per cent less electricity compared with traditional air- cooled air-conditioning systems. Phase I and Phase II are under construction. The DCS will be available to the first consumers in 2013. The Government will seek funding approval from the Legislative Council to proceed with the Phase III (Package A) works of the project.

The Government recognises the importance of promoting the use of renewable energy and Hong Kong's two power companies are making progress in their attempts to use clean energy to produce electricity. Hongkong Electric Company Limited (HEC) has operated a wind turbine on Lamma Island since 2006. CLP Power Hong Kong Limited commissioned the stage 2 commercial scale photovoltaic system on Town Island in Sai Kung in 2012. HEC will complete an extension to its thin film photovoltaic system at Lamma Power Station in 2013. Both companies plan to develop off-shore commercial wind farms in Hong Kong waters and have begun preparation work to collect technical data on-site and feasibility studies for these projects.

Legislation and Environmental Protection

Ten ordinances address environmental protection: the Waste Disposal Ordinance, the Water Pollution Control Ordinance, the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, the Noise Control Ordinance, the Ozone Layer Protection Ordinance, the Dumping at Sea Ordinance, the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, the Hazardous Chemicals Control Ordinance, the Product Eco- responsibility Ordinance; and the Motor Vehicle Idling (Fixed Penalty) Ordinance.

The Government follows a set of environmental quality objectives for better protection of public health and to preserve a natural ecosystem. The cost of imposing limits on polluting emissions is no higher than that needed to achieve conservation goals, which include making maximum use of the environment's natural capacity to absorb and recycle waste.

The EPD works with the construction, catering, and vehicle repair industries, the property management sector and other trades to promote good practices and compliance with environmental regulations. The EPD runs a Compliance Assistance Centre where businesses

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