BEC Monthly Features
BEC Welcomes Environment Bureau’s Energy Saving Plan 2015~2025+
Environment Bureau published the Energy Saving Plan for the Built Environment 2015~2025+ (“the Plan”) on 14 May 2015. The Plan analyses energy use in Hong Kong and sets out the target of reducing Hong Kong’s energy intensity by 40% by 2025. The Plan also notes that the Government aims to drive energy saving and energy efficiency through a combination of educational, social, economic and regulatory means. Full version of the Plan is available on Environment Bureau’s website.
BEC is pleased to have been recognised in the Plan as one of the parties the Government intends to work with in promoting green building in Hong Kong. With our strength in reaching out to members and the wider business community, BEC looks forward to working with the Government in achieving energy saving and transitioning Hong Kong to a low carbon economy.
24 – 28 May 2015: BEC Group Visit to Japan
BEC organised a group visit to Japan from 24 to 28 May 2015. In this 5-day trip, 17 BEC member representatives visited various business and environmental facilities in Nagoya and Tokyo, including Toyota Motomachi Plant and Kaikan Museum, Tokyo Super Eco Town, Shin-Koto Incineration Plant, Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome, Morigasaki Water Reclamation Centre and Panasonic Centre.
Participants also visited the N-Expo, which was one of the largest environmental and climate change related exhibitions in Japan, to learn about the latest technologies of environmental sustainability. Furthermore, participants joined a networking dinner organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council Japan Office to share ideas and experience with key local business leaders and government officials.
BEC in the News
On 21 May 2015, BEC Headquarters Transformation Project was featured on Oriental Daily News. The article quoted the oil-free variable speed air-cooled chiller as one of the major green features at BEC Headquarters. It was mentioned that energy consumption of BEC Headquarters had been reduced by about 25% based on the actual electricity billing and metering data between July and September 2014. Please click here to read the article.
BEC Upcoming Event
25 June 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series
In the upcoming Leadership Networking Series, BEC is pleased to have Ir Dr Keith Lai, Environmental Protection Officer, Waste Reduction and Recycling Division of Environmental Protection Department and Mr. Edward Li, Support Facilities Manager of Urban Property Management Limited to introduce how EcoPark encourages the development of recycling industry in Hong Kong and promotes the practice of turning waste into resources. Representatives from three waste recycling operators in EcoPark, namely Li Tong Group, Champway Technology Limited and South China Reborn Resources (Zhongshan) Company Limited are also invited to share their experience in turning waste to resources.
Please contact Ms. Joey Hui (T. 2784 3958 | E. joey@bec.org.hk) to secure your seat.
BEC Events
5 May 2015: Luncheon with World Business Council for Sustainable Development (“WBCSD”) Future Leaders
BEC organised a luncheon with delegates from WBCSD Future Leaders Program at BEC Headquarters and introduced BEC’s work in promoting environmental excellence in Hong Kong.
WBCSD Future Leaders Program is a professional and leadership development platform that aims to provide future business leaders with an in-depth understanding of sustainability challenges that will feed into their strategic decision making. During the 2-hour luncheon, BEC representatives shared our active participation in different environmental management and sustainability projects.
21 May 2015: BEC EnviroSeries Conference “Embracing Natural Capital in a Densely Built Metropolis: Challenges and Solutions for Achieving Environmental Sustainability”
BEC EnviroSeries Conference, entitled “Embracing Natural Capital in a Densely Built Metropolis: Challenges and Solutions for Achieving Environmental Sustainability”, was successfully held on 21 May 2015. With the aim of exploring solutions and technologies that can conserve natural capital while bringing benefits to the business sector and the wider community, the Conference brought together 20 expert speakers and attracted over 150 policy makers, industry experts, sustainability professionals and academics.
Mr. KS Wong, Secretary for the Environment, delivered the keynote presentation on policy directions in conserving Hong Kong’s natural capital. Business executives and sustainability professionals exchanged insights on incorporating biodiversity considerations in business operations and planning, as well as innovative strategies and solutions on effective water resource management.
28 May 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series
In May’s event, Mr. Luca Micheletto, Product Application Manager, ClimaPRO, Climaveneta Spa, shared various air-conditioning system designs and technologies that help companies achieve their energy saving targets. Ir. Colin Chung, Immediate Past President of Hong Kong Association of Energy Engineers, highlighted the importance and benefits of enhancing building energy efficiency. He also shared the possible challenges in implementing energy efficiency measures.
11 June 2015: BEC Industry Visit to Hong Kong Sludge Treatment Facility
The Hong Kong Sludge Treatment Facility is a dedicated incineration facility for treating sewage sludge generated from 11 sewage treatment works. It has a treatment capacity of 2,000 tonnes per day. After incineration, the volume of the sludge can be reduced by 90%, thereby relieving the burden to the landfills.
BEC hosted a visit to the facility on 11 June 2015 prior to its formal commencement of operation in late 2015. In this exclusive visit, participants learnt about the latest sludge incineration technology as well as the self-sufficient and sustainable design of electricity generation and reusing wastewater.
BEC Partnership Programmes
HSBC Living Business Awards 2015
Entering the eleventh year, the HSBC Living Business Programme 2015 will be launched with the theme on supply chain sustainability. In pace with the global trend of sustainability, the Programme will further encourage and help small and medium enterprises to gauge their success and achieve business sustainability by showing their commitment to environmental protection, community engagement and employees caring.
HSBC Living Business Awards 2015 is one of the major activities under the Programme. Companies with no more than 250 employees in Hong Kong are invited to submit applications in any of the three award categories including the Community Engagement Award, the Green Achievement Award and the Caring of People Award. 2 capacity building events will be held on 17 and 24 June 2015 respectively in order to provide businesses with the benefits and know-now of supply chain sustainability, as well as experience sharing from corporations.
For more details about the Programme, please visit here or contact us (T. 2784 3948 | E. livingbusiness@bec.org.hk).
2015 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence
As one of the organisers of the 2015 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (“HKAEE”), BEC is now inviting local companies and organisations to join this annual landmark event of the environmental sector in Hong Kong.
Sponsored by the Environment and Conservation Fund, the HKAEE aims to encourage businesses and organisations to adopt green management, provide them with an opportunity to benchmark their environmental performance against their peers, and recognise their achievements in environmental protection.
Applications for the HKAEE Sectoral Awards will soon be closed on 16 June 2015. To get more details about the 2015 HKAEE, please visit http://www.hkaee.gov.hk or contact us (T. 2784 3964 | E. hkaee@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 has commissioned BEC to coordinate the implementation of the glass bottle recycling programmes in Hong Kong. As of May 2015, about 1,000 private and public housing estates have already participated in this programme.
All housing estates and residential buildings with management offices are welcome to participate in this programme. Please contact Ms. Ada Tam (T. 2784 3947 | E. em_admin@bec.org.hk) to learn more about the programme.
Services for BEC Members and Companies
Venue Hire at BEC Headquarters
To facilitate the sharing of knowledge and best practices in environmental issues, venues and facilities at BEC Headquarters are available for members and companies to organise events relating to environmental protection and sustainability. To know more about the details and rates, 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
BEC Participates in Energy Saving Portal Website
BEC is pleased to be a Participating Organisation of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department’s Energy Saving Portal Website. BEC’s initiatives on promoting energy saving, such as activities of BEC Energy Advisory Group, as well as relevant BEC events and conferences, are featured in the portal.
BEC IEE Training Courses
BEC Institute for Environmental Education ("BEC IEE") will organise various environmental training courses from June to August 2015 as follows:
Comprehensive Course on Green Building Management (16 June to 11 July 2015) - Understanding the key aspects of green building management is very important to achieve a low carbon sustainable built environment. There is a trend for buildings in Hong Kong to implement green features and practices. This course provides essential knowledge on different aspects of green building management, from planning to renovation.
Innovative Indoor Environmental Quality (“IEQ”) Monitoring (9 July 2015) - Traditionally, the IEQ assessment required a pool of professionals, technical equipment and a series of complex numerical equations. Recently, a user-friendly IEQ benchmarking calculator mobile application has been developed to simplify the assessment process. By inputting basic information, users can have a preliminary idea of IEQ of their building premises and benchmark against similar types of environment. This course covers the design, development and application of this innovative IEQ benchmarking calculator.
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
New Reporting Approach for MTR Corporation
MTR Corporation just launched its 2014 Sustainability Report with the theme “Life of the City”. This is the company’s 15th consecutive year of reporting. This year, the company is reporting in two different but complementary ways:
A printed report - The printed report in English and Chinese features stories from a number of their stakeholders in Hong Kong and provides an overview of activities for the year.
A report website - Full details of the company’s management approaches, programmes and key performance indicators are organised and presented on a dedicated microsite which includes reference to the standards in line with which they have reported.
"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 30 June 2015 (Tuesday).
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 Member
Justin Material Supplies and Trading Company Limited
Powerz Enterprises Limited
Affiliate Member
Eco Association Limited
BEC Supporting Events
| Date | Event | Organiser |
| 24 - 25 June 2015 |
APAC Innovation Summit 2015 - Robotics http://bec.org.hk/events-current/apac-innovation-summit-2015---robotics |
Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation |
| 28 - 30 June 2015 | The First International Conference for Sustainable Development and Management | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and International Association for Sustainable Development and Management |
| 7 July 2015 |
IFMA’s Industrial Spotlight: A study of Thermal Comfort and Cost Effectiveness for Stratum Ventilation http://bec.org.hk/events-current/ifmas-industrial-spotlight-a-study-of-thermal-comfort-and-cost-effectiveness-for-stratum-ventilation |
The Hong Kong Chapter of the International Facility Management Association |
| 7 July 2015 |
Innovation and Technology Symposium 2015 |
The Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel |
| 18 July 2015 | HKGSA Forum on Mainland "水十條" | 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 |
The "Let's Save 10L Water" Campaign |
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 |