Jan-2023

 

To drive the industry to implement retrofitting for better energy efficiency of existing building stocks, Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) launched Hong Kong’s first-ever retrofitting guidebook on 10 January 2023. The launching ceremony attracted around 120 in-person participants and 580 online attendees.
 

The Guest of Honour at the ceremony was Ir Eric PANG Yiu-hung, Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, The Government of the HKSAR. In his speech, Ir PANG emphasised that the “HKGBC Retrofitting Guidebook” is an invaluable reference tool for the industry. Representatives from the government and building industry, including developers and trade associations, also shared their experience of successfully conducting retrofitting projects.

Unleashing the Potential for Energy Savings in Existing Buildings

Building-related activities in Hong Kong account for around 90% of total electricity consumption and over 60% of total carbon emissions. There are over 42,000 existing buildings in Hong Kong, offering a massive potential for energy savings. To facilitate the implementation of retrofitting, the “HKGBC Retrofitting Guidebook” covers over 50 retrofitting strategies in 10 key themes, including Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning – Water-side and Air-side, Lighting, Electricity Distribution System, Lift & Escalator, Smart Control Systems, Server Room / Data Centre, Car Park, Heating, and Building Envelope. A total of 21 case studies are also featured to provide solid examples for the industry’s reference. Click here to download the full version of the “HKGBC Retrofitting Guidebook”.

Promoting Retrofitting in the Greater Bay Area and Around the World

As a part of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), the Council has joined hands with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) to enhance building energy efficiency in the region. In November 2022, the HKGBC signed the “Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) on Building Energy Saving Retrofits in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area” with the EMSD and five professional organisations in the region and other Mainland cities, with the aim of gathering experience and expertise in retrofitting and to build a greener GBA together. Representatives of these organisations also extended their support and congratulations at the launch ceremony of the “HKGBC Retrofitting Guidebook”.

Furthermore, the Council announced that the guidebook would be released in over 70 regions by local green building councils, signifying Hong Kong’s leading position in driving the development of a sustainable built environment in the global arena. Let’s work together to expedite a low-carbon transformation around the globe!

Receiving Recognition in Retro-commissioning (RCx)

Aside from retrofitting, the Council has for many years been promoting RCx to the industry to align with the Government’s goals to reduce the energy consumption and carbon emission of existing buildings. The Council is glad to share that our “Retro-commissioning (RCx) Training and Registration Scheme – From Active Training to In-class Training” project co-submitted with the EMSD won the Gold Award under the Smart Jobs and Consumers pillar in the 2022 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Smart Communities Initiative (ESCI) Best Practices Awards Program.
 

Supported by the EMSD and seven professional institutions, the scheme was launched in 2019 to equip practitioners with sound theoretical knowledge and data analytical skills to pursue energy-efficient improvements in existing buildings through a knowledge-based management approach. To date, more than 1,600 industry practitioners have been trained, and 500 RCx Practitioners/ Professionals and 19 RCx Services Providers have been listed in the RCx Directory.

The ESCI award not only recognises the remarkable partnership between the HKGBC and the EMSD, but also showcases our achievement in RCx to the international community. Click here for details of the 2022 APEC ESCI Best Practices Awards Program.