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We focus on conservation of resources
in our offices. This is achieved through the leadership
of the Green Management Committee set up at the end of 2004.
The main fronts include Lighting, Air Conditioning ,Office
Equipment, Elevator Service, and Paper. Each division has
a Green Action Team Leader to spearhead the green initiatives
and some energy wardens to remind colleagues on energy saving
in the office.
To empower our staff
to do our job with environmental awareness and understanding,
we supported 126 staff to attend training events in 2004
on environmental knowledge and practices. We also launched
a green management portal in our intranet for dissemination
of information and experience sharing.
Furthermore, we made use of the Staff
Suggestion Scheme to motivate staff in resources conservation,
waste minimization and waste recovery. In 2004, we launched
internal competitions for the best suggestion in saving
resources and the best green slogan. These attracted many
eager participants and a full display of wit. Winning entrants
had included useful ideas to save power in computer operation,
reduce use of fax and promote paper conservation. Some excellent
slogans are shown below.
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多行一步身體好
調高一度助環保
廢紙一再循環用
大家一起省源好 |
電燈冷氣莫長開
資源耗盡不再來 |
救地球 莫遲猶
善用紙張 樹木免遭殃
省原油 記心頭
出門緊記 熄燈關冷氣 |
Despite our effort in
energy saving, the power consumption in the office that
has a separate electricity meter for monitoring purpose
showed that the target was not met. In 2004, we only reduced the power
consumption by 1% over the 2003 level, but it was 3.8% more
than the 2002 level.
We investigated the situation and noted that there
were two major activities contributing to a higher than
expected power consumption. One was a major renovation work
to install sprinklers for the whole office and the work
needed to be carried out after office hours and during weekends,
and the other one was a large amount of overtime work for
the implementation of a customer care and billing system
for sewage revenue during the last quarter of 2004.
The situation has much been improved in the first
6 months of 2005 with a power consumption at only 92% of
the corresponding 2002 level.
Details of our green office
initiatives are described below:
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Lighting
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1.
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The more
efficient fluorescent T-5 tubes
and luminaries with parabolic
reflectors now make up the dominant lighting fixtures in our offices.
Lighting areas are arranged with suitable individual switch to allow
flexibility.
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2.
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Operational measures
are emphasized, including : Switching off lighting
when rooms are not occupied and during lunch
time. Reducing lights near windows. Designated staff to check and
switch off lights of unoccupied areas after
office hours.
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Air Conditioning
The thermal setting is adjusted to 25.5oC. Heat ingress is
reduced by lowering blinds or keeping windows shut. Air conditioning of
unoccupied rooms is switched off.
Office Equipment
Set photocopiers, personal computers and fax machines to go into
hibernation mode while inactive. Advocate paper saving and paperless
office to reduce energy and paper consumption for document copying and
printing. Assign officers to switch off all shared use office equipment
after office hours.
Elevator Service
Promote using stairs rather than
the elevator.
Paper
Economy in use of paper, including
re-use and recycling are promulgated in the department.
Unfortunately, due to an unexpected printing demand in producing
technical manuals, survey reports, works orders and tender-related
documents in 2004, Paper consumption was up 8% when compared to the previous
year. To address the situation, we have now put in place
a quota system on paper purchase and encourage the use of
recycled paper. Publicity materials and publications will
be put on internet wherever practicable, if printing is
required, they would only be printed on both sides of recycled
paper and produced in restricted number of copies.
Green Survey
Our green initiatives would not
be completed without a feedback on how we did. Therefore,
at the end of 2004 we started to launch quarterly green
surveys to measure the energy saving, paper reuse and recycling
habits of our staff. The findings are enumerated and put
in our intranet as an appreciation of the good work and
an indication of the areas for improvement. The aim is to
cultivate a culture of conservation in the department.
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