ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE REPORT 2011
 
Contents | Foreword | Executive Summary | Appendix | Verification Statement | Feedback | 繁體 | 简体 | HTML | PDF
 
1 Scope Of This Report | 2 Our Profile | 3 Environmental Impacts Of Our Operations |
4 Improving Hong Kong's Environment | 5 Social Engagement | 6 Our Economic Impacts |
7 Targets - Our Progress and 2011 Aims
 
 
3 Environmental Impacts of Our Operations
  1. Our green management system
  2. Minimising energy and resources consumption
  3. Our waste management facilities
  4. Promoting green procurement

We are committed to reducing the environmental impacts of our own operations through:

  • implementing an effective green management system to monitor our internal operations;
  • minimising energy and resources consumption;
  • ensuring our waste management facilities are managed in the most environmentally acceptable manner; and
  • promoting green procurement.

1. Our green management system

1.1    We are pleased to report that we are continuing to monitor the potentially significant environmental aspects of our internal activities and to manage our energy / emission performance through our Energy and Emissions Management Team (EEMT) set up in 2007. Our efforts in minimising the environmental impact of our operations have earned a "Class of Good" Energywi$e Label and a "Class of Excellence" Wastewi$e Label in the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence.

1.2    We have maintained good indoor air quality in our offices. 16 offices are certified under the Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme.



2. Minimising energy and resources consumption
Our achievements are reported in three areas:

  • Reducing our electricity consumption;
  • Reducing our transport impacts; and
  • Reducing waste.

Reducing our electricity consumption

2.1   Efficient use of energy is a priority and we have implemented a series of energy-saving measures that have resulted in steady progress in reducing our electricity consumption. In 2010 we set a target of 1 per cent reduction in electricity consumption and we managed to reduce consumption by 1.4 per cent (see Table 1).

Table 1 - Electricity Consumption and Emissions in 2009 - 2010*
  2009 2010
Electricity Consumed (GWh) 2.867 2.827
CO2 (tonnes) 2 007 1 979
SO2 (kg) 6 022 5 937
NOx (kg) 3 728 3 676
RSP (kg) 287 283
* For most of our offices, we share office buildings with other users and there is no separate meter for measuring energy consumed by the air-conditioning system, so air-conditioning is excluded from the calculation of energy consumption for all of our offices.


2.2   Our energy-saving measures include:

Overall energy management

  • Through the EEMT to identify opportunities for further savings;
  • Conduct annual self-inspection in all offices and laboratories to identify areas of improvement;
  • Appoint Energy Wardens in all offices to coordinate implementation of energy saving measures and monitor conservation efforts; and
  • Adhere to the reporting requirements on energy consumption under the Clean Air Charter that the Government signed in 2006.

Good practice measures in offices

  • Maintaining room temperatures at 25.5 degrees Celsius in summer months, and encouraging staff to dress down in summer.
  • Using installations such as sectional control switches and occupation sensors.
  • Replacing ageing lighting equipment with energy-saving ones, and using occupational sensors, as appropriate.
  • Reducing lighting as appropriate, and switching lights off when not in use. Reinforcing this practice with routine checks and reminders.
  • Using power-saving features and programmable timers for computers and other equipment, and purchasing equipment with energy efficiency labels.
  • Switching off equipment when not in use and posting reminder stickers near light switches and office equipment.

Reducing our transport impacts

2.3   In 2010, the mileage of our vehicle fleet increased but we have managed to reduce fuel consumption by vehicles (see Table 2). We will continue to work towards reducing fuel consumption as far as practicable through a number of good practice measures.

Table 2 - Annual fuel consumption and pollutant emissions
Fuel Consumption 2009 - 2010
Year Vehicle Fleet   Petrol (litres) Diesel (litres)  LPG (litres) Electricity
(kWh)
Mileage (km) ULSD[1]
(litres)
2009 52 vehicles[2] 100 713 60 2 693 - 673 000 92 000
2010 53 vehicles[3] 100 631 60 697 979 685 400 91 900
Pollutant Emissions 2009 - 2010 (kg)
  SO2 NOX RSP
  2009 2010 2009 2010 2009 2010
Vehicle Fleet - 2 1 022 1 021 178 175
Marine Vessel 8 8 4 639 4 634 183 182
Notes:
[1]

ULSD is ultra low sulphur diesel and is used by our marine monitoring vessel, the 'Dr Catherine Lam'.

[2] 48 petrol vehicles, one LPG, two hybrid and one Euro II diesel.
[3] 47 petrol vehicles, one electric vehicle, two LPG, two hybrid and one Euro II diesel.

2.4 We have instituted below good practice measures:

  • Procuring new electric vehicles to promote the use of electric vehicles.
  • Requiring hybrid vehicles under new waste facilities contracts.
  • Encouraging our staff to walk or use public transport where possible, and to car pool when using government vehicles.
  • Promoting green driving practices such as switching off idling engines, making only necessary trips, driving at a steady speed and planning routes to minimise journey time.

Image - Electric vehicle benefits the environment with its zero emissions.

2.5   In 2010, we have actively procured environment-friendly vehicles as new or replacement vehicles, including the purchase of an electric vehicle.

Reducing Waste

2.6   Waste paper, metal and plastics are collected separately in our offices for recycling. In 2010 we recycled around 42 700 kg of waste paper and 430 kg of plastic waste.

2.7   Photocopying paper consumption fell by 1.9 per cent through our on-going paper-saving initiatives. We will continue to apply paper-saving measures, such as using e-applications and processing for internal procurement and leave application and promoting electronic sharing of reports and presentation materials, and investigate other areas of potential saving.

2.8   We continued to collect used printer cartridges and used photocopier toner cartridges for recycling. Consumables and Inventory Recycling Scheme is being implemented to re-use and recycle consumables and inventory items. A new software programme has also been identified that can help to reduce the consumption of toner during printing and this software is being installed in all of our computers. In addition, we have launched a programme to recycle our old computers; these computers have been donated to the needy after refurbishment.


3. Our waste management facilities

3.1   Our waste management facilities meet international air emission standards, such as the latest European Union emission standards and this is also the case when putting in place new contracts for new facilities, such as the new Sludge Treatment Facilities to be built at Tsang Tsui, Tuen Mun. For SENT landfill, we are also exploring the viability of a landfill gas utilisation scheme.

3.2   We will continue to ensure that operators of waste management facilities follow stringent contractual requirements to control and monitor emissions and encourage new waste management contractors to join the Clean Air Charter to commit to reducing their emissions.

Image - South East New Territories (SENT) Landfill.

 

4. Promoting green procurement

4.1   The aim of green procurement is to ensure that the products acquired are as environmentally friendly as possible, subject to sufficient market supply and that is economically rational, to help improve the Government’s environmental performance and help promote a market for green products. The EPD works closely with the Government Logistics Department to develop green specifications for such products. To date, green specifications have been developed for over 100 products frequently procured by the Government and this year, the Administration has issued internal circulars on encouraging the use of green materials in public works projects and pursuing green procurement (including green services) in the Government.

4.2   The EPD is also involved in the Government’s e-Procurement pilot programme, which simplifies procedures and reduces paper use. The programme was launched in September 2009 and allows for electronic transactions for goods and services up to a value of HK$1.43 million.

See also: TARGETS - Our Progress and 2011 Aims.

 

Top^