Friends of the Earth (HK)

Current API at 21:00

06 September 2010

Buildings Energy Efficiency Bill fit only for A Developing Country

The Buildings Energy Efficiency Bill (The Bill) is gazetted today. The energy conservation standard applied for lighting in The Bill is of a developing country standard that falls far behind mainland China and India, as shown in the statement draft of Friends of the Earth (HK).

FoE (HK) points out that the energy saving potential for buildings in Hong Kong can easily reach a 31.9% reduction and questions, [If the government takes the tabling of The Bill before the Copenhagen Summit as a response to climate change, it amounts to nothing more than a fig leaf. The act shows the government¡¥s lack of environmental commitment as part of the global community.]

FoE (HK) found that the lighting conservation standard adopted in The Bill for offices, restaurants and building atrium lagged behind the current global trend. Take the most common office lighting as an example, The Bill recommends the maximum lighting for every square metre to be 17 watt. The limit is higher than the 7 watt per square metre applied in Australia; and the 10.8 watt per square metre of India (see table 1).

Research coordinator of FoE(HK), Catherine Lau estimates that 289 million kWh of electricity would have been cut in a year if we adopt the lighting standard of India (10.8W/m2). The savings in the electricity is equivalent to 200,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission cut. The extra HK$ 290 million in electricity savings could have supplied the electricity of the Central Government Offices for 34.6 years long.

The Indian standard is not inapplicable. The new office of FoE (HK) in Fortress Hill is twice the size of the old one in Wanchai, but the lighting consumption per square metre drops from 14.4 watt to 9.9 watt. The 34% reduction in lighting is a result of conscientious lighting plan that sacrifices none of the comfort of a working environment. (Table 2)

Director of FoE (HK), Edwin Lau says that among the four conservation areas regulated in The Bill, namely lighting, air conditioning, electricity installation, and elevators/escalators, the cost of saving in lighting is the most affordable. He thinks the lighting energy can be cut down to a level comparable to the Singaporean standard of 15w/m2.

Apart from the request of a more stringent lighting standard, FoE (HK) recommends the following for adoption by The Bill

1 Copy the labelling system used in the Energy Efficiency Labelling Schemes for electronic products to categorize buildings in different energy conservation labels
2 Necessitate the listing of a building energy efficiency label in the building¡¥s brochure published by property developers
3 Stipulate the display of conservation label of the building in public areas
4 Follow the UK's incentive scheme of excise exemption for the energy efficient buildings to promote energy efficiency
5 Regularly evaluate and review The Bill

Buildings account for 89% of electricity consumption in Hong Kong. According to the statistics of The Environmental Protection Department in 2007, the greenhouse gases produced by the two power companies in Hong Kong account for 89% of sulphur dioxide emission, 45% of nitrogen oxide emission, 28% of suspendable particulates emission, and 63% of carbon dioxide emission. The climate reality makes it imperative for early implementation of The Bill to cut emissions and energy consumption.

Friends of the Earth (HK) urges the government to promote green buildings, or even consider following Singapore¡¥s example by setting the deadline at 2030 when energy efficiency standard of 80% of the buildings will reach the one required of green buildings. FoE (HK) believes a green building policy is not only beneficial to building users in terms of economics but also to the growth of energy conservation industry, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Cutting lighting consumption while upholding the luminosity in the FoE (HK) office (The Labour Department suggests a luminosity level between 300 to 500 lux. The number shown on the monitor falls within the specified range.)