July 2015

BEC Monthly Features

BEC Submission in Response to Public Consultation on the Future Development of the Electricity Market

On 25 June 2015, BEC made a submission to the Environment Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government in response to the Public Consultation on the Future Development of the Electricity Market.

As noted in the submission, BEC believes that the Scheme of Control Agreement (“SCA”) framework has worked very effectively to allow Hong Kong to meet its four energy policy objectives, and is in favour of continuing to use the SCA as a regulatory framework. BEC also supports the development of renewable energy as part of a multi-pronged strategy to reduce carbon emissions.

BEC Topical Digest (Issue 3), which summarises BEC’s submission, is available for view at BEC’s website. The full submission can also be accessed here.

17 September 2015: BEC Anniversary Dinner 2015

BEC will host its Anniversary Dinner on 17 September 2015 at JW Marriott Hong Kong. The Dinner is a major occasion for BEC members and guests to review BEC’s key initiatives in the past, preview the exciting opportunities ahead, and network with like-minded sustainability leaders who have shared our vision and supported our efforts in leading our city further along the sustainability pathway.

To mark this special occasion, it is our honour to have the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region the Honorable C Y Leung to be the Guest of Honour and deliver a speech. It is expected that over 300 guests including senior government officials, business executives, members and partners will join this celebration.

Please contact Ms. Jill Chow (T. 2784 3942 | E. jill@bec.org.hk) to reserve your tables or tickets early.

BEC in the News

BEC Headquarters Transformation Project

  • Metro Daily (19 June 2015)

In an interview with Metro Daily, BEC Board Director Ir Cary Chan remarked that over 90% of buildings in Hong Kong did not include any environmentally-friendly feature and the BEC Headquarters Transformation Project was implemented with the aim of showcasing the greening of existing buildings. The article quoted that the electricity consumption of LED panels could be reduced by 58% compared to T8 fluorescent tubes.

BEC’s Submission on the Future Development of the Electricity Market

In the article, it was mentioned that BEC encouraged establishing strong incentive structures for the two local power companies to speed the development of large commercial scale renewables. It was also quoted that BEC supported carefully studying the feasibility of importing clean, low carbon energy from Mainland China as soon as this could be reliably delivered, bearing in mind that Hong Kong’s emissions should not simply be externalised.

  • Hong Kong Commercial Daily (30 June 2015)

It was reported that BEC supported the development of renewable energy as part of a multi-pronged strategy to reduce carbon emissions. The importance of programmes for enhancing energy efficiency, as well as a strong partnership amongst Government, the power companies and the general public were also noted.

BEC Upcoming Events

24 July 2015: BEC Industry Visit to CMA Testing and Certification Laboratories & Clean the World Asia Recycling Operation Centre

In the first part of this visit, participants will take a closer look at four testing and calibration laboratories at CMA Testing and Certification Laboratories in Fo Tan. Afterwards, participants will visit Clean the World Asia’s Recycling Operation Centre in Kwai Chung to learn about the process of turning used soap into recycled soap.

Please contact Ms. Amy Ma (T. 2784 3960 | E. amy@bec.org.hk) for registration.



30 July 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series

Through case sharing and live demonstration, Fuji Xerox (Hong Kong) Limited will share the latest comprehensive solutions to tackle possible challenges that companies face when they incorporate sustainability measures into their operations and projects, such as difficulties in measuring the effectiveness of these measures. Dr. Benny Chow, Director of Sustainability, Aedas Ltd and Chairman of Industry Standards Committee, Hong Kong Green Building Council, will talk about the costs and benefits of developing green building from the perspectives of developers, builders and occupants respectively.

The event is open to participants from all industries and would be of particular benefit to architecture, engineering and construction industries. Contact Ms. Joey Hui (T. 2784 3958 | E. joey@bec.org.hk) to register early to avoid disappointment.

BEC Past Event

25 June 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series

About 50 BEC members and guests gained a better understanding of how EcoPark, Hong Kong’s first recycling business park, encouraged the development of recycling industry in Hong Kong.

Ir Dr Keith Lai, Environmental Protection Officer, Waste Reduction and Recycling Division, Environmental Protection Department, delivered the opening remarks at the event. Mr. Edward Li, Support Facilities Manager of Urban Property Management Limited then gave an overview of recycling operations in EcoPark.

Representatives of EcoPark’s tenants, namely Li Tong Group, Champway Technology Limited and South China Reborn Resources (Zhongshan) Company Limited, shared their successful cases in turning waste to resources.


 

BEC Partnership Programmes

BEC Low-carbon School – Eco Expo Asia 2015

Funded by the Environment and Conservation Fund and the Environmental Campaign Committee, “BEC Low-carbon School – Eco Expo Asia 2015” will commence in July 2015 with the objective of raising awareness on environmental protection and sustainability, as well as promoting low carbon behaviour to secondary school students in Hong Kong. The programme comprises a series of activities, including Dialogue with Secretary for the Environment, guided tours during Eco Expo Asia 2015, Inter-school Low-carbon Living Micro-film Competition, winter fun fair and seminar.  

Please contact Ms. Joanne Chan (T. 2784 3975 | E. bec.lcs@bec.org.hk) or Ms. Sze Yuen (T. 2784 3916 | E.  bec.lcs@bec.org.hk) for further information.

Disclaimer: Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/event do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Environment and Conservation Fund and Environmental Campaign Committee.

Green Delight in Estates - “Waste Reduction in Estates” Photo Competition Award Presentation Ceremony

Winners of Green Delight in Estates - “Waste Reduction in Estates” Photo Competition organised by BEC were announced at the award presentation ceremony held on 29 June 2015 at the headquarters of the Hong Kong Housing Authority. The award presentation ceremony was well attended by over 80 participants.

The photo competition was one of the activities under Green Delight in Estates, a long-term community education programme which aims to enhance environmental awareness of public housing estate residents in Hong Kong. In particular, the objective of the competition was to arouse public awareness on the current waste challenges in Hong Kong.

Please visit this website for more information about Green Delight in Estates.



HSBC Living Business Awards 2015

Entering the eleventh year, the HSBC Living Business Programme 2015 was launched to continue to create synergy between small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”) and their stakeholders by promoting sustainability along the supply chain.  In order to help SMEs enhance their knowledge on sustainable practices, a series of capacity building events were held on 17, 22 and 24 June 2015 respectively. Participants from over 200 SMEs joined the events and gathered practical information to improve their performance on corporate sustainability.

For more details about the programme, please visit here or contact BEC Environmental Management team (T. 2784 3948 | E. livingbusiness@bec.org.hk).



EPD Territory-wide Glass Bottle Recycling Programme for Housing Estates

To promote glass bottle recycling in Hong Kong, the Environmental Protection Department commissioned BEC to coordinate the implementation of the territory-wide Glass Bottle Recycling Programme for Housing Estates in Hong Kong. The programme was successfully completed in June 2015 with the participation of about 1,000 private and public housing estates.

Services for BEC Members and Companies

Venue Hire at BEC Headquarters

To facilitate the sharing of knowledge and best practices, venues and facilities at BEC Headquarters are available for members and companies for organising events relating to environmental protection and sustainability. To know more about the rates and other details, please visit BEC website (http://bec.org.hk/files/images/aboutus/Office_location/20150528_JCEB_Hiring_Rate_Card.pdf) or contact BEC Events and Communications Team (T. 2784 3942 | E. venue@bec.org.hk).

Green Technology Corner – Showcase at BEC Headquarters

The Green Technology Corner at BEC Headquarters offers opportunities for members to showcase their green technologies and products to business leaders and sustainability professionals. Please contact Ms. Bonnie Ho (T. 2787 3951 | E. bonnie@bec.org.hk) to secure the showcasing opportunity.

Information for BEC Members

Exhibition Opportunity in Eco Expo Asia 2015

The Environment Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government will set up a “Hong Kong Pavilion” in Eco Expo Asia, which will be held from 28 to 31 October 2015 in AsiaWorld-Expo, and provide standard-sized booths for the industry to promote Hong Kong’s environmental technologies, services and products at a concessionary price.

For details and application, please click here (Chinese version only). For enquiry, please contact Ms. Florence Lee of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries (T. 2732 3138 | E. florence.lee@fhki.org.hk).

BEC IEE Training Courses

BEC Institute for Environmental Education ("BEC IEE") will organise various environmental training courses from July to August 2015 as follows:

The Application and Regulation of Environmental Impact Assessment (“EIA”) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (“SEA”) in Hong Kong (17 July 2015) – EIA is an essential process to ensure that environmental factors are considered in every stage of project planning and development. The EIA Ordinance provides the legal framework for applying the EIA process to designated projects in Hong Kong. With a higher level of public scrutiny and increasing use of the judicial reviews to challenge the EIA process, what will be the future development of EIA? This 6-hour course aims to keep the business sector abreast of essential knowledge of EIA, SEA, and related statutory requirements in Hong Kong.

How to Operate Your Business / Organisation in a Socially Responsible Way? An Introductory Training of BS ISO 26000:2010 (17 July 2015) – This 6-hour course provides the basic concepts on implementing and managing a social responsibility programme as proposed in the ISO 26000 guidance and explains the context of different core subjects including organisational governance, human rights, labour practices, environment, fair operating practices, consumer issues, community involvement and development.

Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) Management & Improvement (4th Intake) (29 July 2015) – Throughout this course, participants will have an overview of IAQ. They will also learn different chemical and biological components that affect IAQ and ways to manage and improve IAQ.

Best Practices for Energy Management (31 July 2015) - Hong Kong currently has over 40,000 existing buildings that account for 92% of total electricity demand in the territory. Good practices in energy management are necessary for reducing electricity consumption and save costs. This 3-hour course offers an overview on current practices for achieving effective energy management.

Comprehensive Certificate Course for BEAM Plus on Indoor Environmental Quality (“IEQ”) 2015 (3 to 24 August 2015, every Monday and Wednesday) – As one of the BEAM Plus performance categories, IEQ encompasses the conditions inside a building and their effects on occupants. This intensive training course is jointly organised by ASHRAE Hong Kong Chapter, BEAM Society Limited, BEC IEE, Building Services Operation and Maintenance Executives Society with the aim of providing fundamental concepts, practical information on industrial applications, requirements in BEAM Plus and valuable experience sharing. This is also a Mandatory CPD course for BEAM Pro and BEAM Affiliate.

Visit BEC website now for outlines and schedules of BEC IEE courses. Please contact Dr. Veronica Chan (T. 2784 3937 | E. beciee@bec.org.hk) for registration and enquiry.

BEC Members Corner

HKT Received Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (“HKAEE”) Gold Award 2014

HKT received the Gold Award (Media and Communication Sector) of HKAEE 2014 granted by the Environmental Campaign Committee alongside the Environmental Protection Department. Mr. Alex Arena, Group Managing Director of HKT, received the award from the Chief Executive the Honorable  C Y Leung on 14 May 2015.

HKT recognises the importance of good environmental stewardship and is committed to protecting the environment. The company has been modernising its network facilities and air-conditioning systems in order to achieve higher energy efficiency. Moreover, the company has adopted paperless systems and practices in its daily operations, and has supported various activities related to environmental protection.

"BEC Members Corner" is dedicated to BEC members for the purpose of introducing their recent achievements, success stories, innovative ideas or solutions on environmental sustainability. Members are invited to provide us with an English write-up with about 100 words, which BEC will reserve the rights of editing and publishing. The submission deadline for the next E-newsletter is 24 July 2015 (Friday).

Please contact Ms. Joey Hui (T. 2784 3958 | E. joey@bec.org.hk) if you are interested in contributing an article.

BEC Members Update

Please join us in welcoming the following new members:

General Members
C & C Joint Printing Co., (H.K.) Ltd.
Comfort Me Health Wear Company Limited
Recycle Cycle (HK) Company Limited
 

BEC Supporting Events

Date Event Organiser
18 July 2015

HKGSA Forum「國家水十條」論壇 (Chinese version only)

http://bec.org.hk/events-current/hkgsa-seminar-20150718

The Hong Kong Green Strategy Alliance
30 July 2015

29th BEAM Pro Training & Examination

http://bec.org.hk/events-current/29th-beam-pro-training--examination

BEAM Society Limited
24 August 2015

HKETA Symposium 2015 “M2M in IoT: Impacts and Opportunities”

Hong Kong Electronics & Technologies Association
12 September 2015

HKIS Annual Conference 2015 “Development for a Smarter World City: Hong Kong”

http://bec.org.hk/events-current/hkis-annual-conference-2015

The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors
25 September 2015 BEAM Society Ltd 5th Anniversary Conference BEAM Society Limited
8 October 2015 4th BEAM Affiliate Training BEAM Society Limited
28 - 31 Oct 2015

Eco Expo Asia 2015

http://bec.org.hk/events-current/eco-expo-asia-2015

Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd
16 November 2015 30th BEAM Pro Training & Examination BEAM Society Limited
5 December 2015 CEEAA 20th Anniversary Conference “Development vs Conservation: Is Engineering a Solution?” The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association
2014 – 2015

"Let's Save 10L Water" Campaign

http://www.waterconservation.hk/en/main.html

Water Supplies Department, Hong Kong SAR Government
2014 – 2015

HSBC Water Programme for Industrial Water Management

http://bec.org.hk/events-current/hsbc-water-programme-for-industrial-water-management

Hong Kong Productivity Council
2014 – 2015

HKSTP Soft-landing Programme for Technology

http://bec.org.hk/events-current/hkstp-soft-landing-programme-for-technology-and-innovation-collaboration

Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation
2015 – 2016 Environmental Education Creative Competition 2015 Graphic Arts Association of Hong Kong
2015 – 2016 The 6th Hong Kong Corporate Citizenship Program Hong Kong Productivity Council