BEC Monthly Feature
26 February 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series - Spring Dinner
In the festive month of Chinese New Year, BEC will present the upcoming BEC Leadership Networking Series as a spring dinner at the Banqueting House (御苑皇宴) in Tsim Sha Tsui. It is our pleasure to have Mr. Andrew Lai, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, Environmental Protection Department and Mr. Elvis Au, Assistant Director (Nature Conservation and Infrastructure Planning), Environmental Protection Department to talk about the Cleaner Production Partnership Programme and provide an update on the Government’s initiatives in waste treatment and resource management.
The spring dinner offers an excellent opportunity for members to meet and mingle with business executives to share views and ideas on environment and sustainability issues, as well as to celebrate the Chinese New Year together. To register, please contact Ms. Joey Hui (T. 2784 3958 | E. joey@bec.org.hk). Seats are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment!
BEC Events
16 January 2015: Eating and Drinking @ the Hong Kong Harbourfront Workshop
Co-organised by BEC, Harbour Business Forum and Designing Hong Kong, the 2-hour seminar brought together government officials, planners, developers and concern groups to identify the challenges and opportunities in facilitating the provision of food and beverage services, as well as promoting an alfresco dining culture along the waterfront in Hong Kong.
Hon Tommy Cheung Yu Yan, Hong Kong SAR Legislative Council member (Catering Functional Constituency), was one of the speakers to talk about the challenges in developing alfresco dining at harbourfront.
BEC Policy Dialogue Series: 2015 Policy Address
22 January 2015: Part I – Dialogue with the Under Secretary for the Environment
23 January 2015: Part II – Dialogue with the Secretary for Development
Following the announcement of the Chief Executive’s 2015 Policy Address, BEC organised two policy discussion forums under BEC Policy Dialogue Series for government officials to elaborate and discuss with the business sector the environmental related policies announced in the 2015 Policy Address, with particular reference to the suggestions raised in the Policy Address submission made by BEC.
In Part I on 22 January, Ms. Christine Loh, Under Secretary for the Environment responded to BEC’s policy recommendations in various policy areas, including waste-to-resources initiatives, energy policy, climate change, as well as economic, social and governance reporting.
In Part II on 23 January, Mr. Paul Chan, Secretary for Development, introduced how the Development Bureau promoted sustainability through three pillars, namely economic development, environment and conversation, and social considerations.
Details and photos of the two discussion forums are available in BEC website. Please also click here for full version of BEC’s submission on 2015 Policy Address to the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR Government in October 2014.
26 January 2015: Post-COP20 Forum: From Lima to Paris
Co-organised by BEC and Civic Exchange, the seminar attracted more than 100 participants to discuss the accomplishments of COP20 Lima in December 2014, expectations for COP21 Paris in December 2015, and actions that the Hong Kong SAR Government should take in order to get Hong Kong ready for COP21.
Mr. Hendrik Rosenthal, Director – Policy Research & ESG Advisory of BEC, was the moderator of the second panel discussion on getting Hong Kong ready for COP21. Mr. Eric Chong, Chairman, BEC Climate Change Business Forum Advisory Group, delivered a closing remark at the end of the seminar.
29 January 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series
In the January’s Series, BEC members and partners learned more about technologies used to turn diesel into a greener fuel and measures to reduce marine emissions.
Dr. David Wai Yin Leung, Director, Syn-Tech Fine Chemicals, shared the methods to improve fuel combustion which can in turn reduce the amount of pollutants emitted to the air. He also shared business cases to show how companies can reduce diesel consumption with diesel additives.
Mr. Sunny Ho, President, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong, talked about initiatives related to the development of green port, including the Fair Winds Charter launched by the shipping industry and various Government initiatives on marine emissions control. He also expressed the industry’s views on these Government initiatives.
6 February 2015: Industry Visit to Site of Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme
Participants visited the site of Happy Valley Underground Stormwater Storage Scheme, which is the third underground stormwater storage scheme of the Drainage Services Department. They gained a better understanding on a “movable weir” system used to discharge excess stormwater and learned how a water harvesting system was used to collect and treat underground water and irrigation water for non-potable use.
BEC Upcoming Events
3 March 2015: Industry Visit to Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant (Fully booked)
BEC will host a tour to Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant, the first nuclear power station of commercial scale in Mainland China which 70% of the electricity generated is supplied to Hong Kong. This 1-day visit offers a rare opportunity for participants to know more about the process of nuclear power generation, safety management and environmental impact of nuclear power.
12 March 2015: BEC Waste Management Advisory Group Meeting
BEC Waste Management Advisory Group (“BEC WMAG”) advocates waste management strategies and policies from business perspective, and shares and promotes the adoption of local and international best practices on waste management among BEC members and the wider community.
BEC has invited independent researcher Ms. Su Liu to talk about Hong Kong water resources management and its challenges at the BEC WMAG meeting on 12 March 2015.
BEC WMAG members are welcome to join the meeting. Please contact Ms. Sarah Choi (T. 2784 3943 | E. sarahc@bec.org.hk) if you would like to know more.
26 March 2015: BEC Leadership Networking Series
In the upcoming series, LVFAR Kin Fung Green Reusable Industry Ltd. will introduce its experience in developing green construction materials. Hong Kong Polytechnic University will also share the updates of its Green Deck Project. Contact Ms. Joey Hui (T. 2784 3958 | E. joey@bec.org.hk) to reserve seats for you and your colleagues!
BEC Partnership Programme
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 December 2014, about 1,000 private housing estates and public housing estates have already participated in this programme.
All housing estates and residential buildings with property management offices are welcome to participate in this programme. Please contact Mr. Jonathan Li (T. 2784 3921 | E. em_admin@bec.org.hk) to learn more about the programme.
BEC IEE Training Courses
BEC Institute for Environmental Education ("BEC IEE") will organise various environmental training courses from March to April 2015 as follows:
Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) Management & Improvement (4th Intake) (19 March 2015) – Participant can have an overview of IAQ, learn different chemical and biological components that affect IAQ, and know the ways to manage and improve IAQ. This course is supported by the Hong Kong Institute of Facility Management (“HKIFM”).
Regulatory Compliance for Environmental Legislation of Hong Kong (2nd Intake) (20 March 2015) – This training course provides the participants with up-to-date information on 5 major ordinances in various areas, including air pollution control, noise pollution control, water pollution control, waste disposal and environmental impact assessment. This course is supported by the Hong Kong Institute of Engineers (“HKIE”) and Hong Kong Waste Management Association (“HKWMA”).
Towards Sustainability: Case Sharing on First Commercial Building to Achieve BEAM Plus Provisional Platinum Rating (Existing Buildings) – BEC Headquarters (27 March 2015) – BEC Headquarters is the first commercial building in Hong Kong which has achieved the Platinum rating of Provisional Assessment under BEAM Plus Existing Buildings (version 1.2) of the Hong Kong Green Building Council in 13 August 2014. Using BEC Headquarters as an example, this course offers essential knowledge on design, planning and implementation for transforming an existing building to a certified green building.
BEAM Plus Familiarisation Training for Site Supervisors (2 April 2015) – BEAM Plus for New Buildings, an environmental assessment scheme for buildings, requires site supervisors to oversee the implementation of a series of good site practices. This course offers comprehensive training that enables site supervisors to know how to manage BEAM Plus responsibilities in order to fulfill pre-requisite requirements and attain credits for site management, supervision, testing and commissioning.
Visit BEC website now for more details and schedules of BEC IEE programmes. For registration and enquiry, please contact Dr. Veronica Chan (T. 2784 3937 | E. beciee@bec.org.hk).
Information for BEC Members
BEAM Plus Platinum Project Public Exhibition
The Hong Kong Green Building Council will organise a roving exhibition of BEAM Plus Platinum Projects to further promote Hong Kong’s green buildings with outstanding environmental performance. BEC Headquarters, which is the first commercial building in Hong Kong that has achieved BEAM Plus Existing Buildings Platinum rating, will be featured in the exhibition.
As the first stop, the exhibition will be held from 15 to 28 February 2015 at Zero Carbon Building. You are welcome to visit the exhibition to discover the benefits of green buildings. Please click here for more details.
Exhibition and Games on Testing and Protecting the Environment
The Hong Kong Council for Testing and Certification ("HKCTC”) and the Science Museum jointly organise an exhibition from now till 11 March 2015 to introduce testing and certification to the public. The exhibition uses two examples (testing of energy efficiency in electrical products and inspection of indoor air quality) to help visitors understand the concepts. Details are available on the HKCTC website.
Please visit the Science Museum website for full details on the current opening hours and ticketing information. For other enquiries, please contact the Secretariat, HKCTC (T. 2829 4886 | E. enquiry@hkctc.gov.hk).
Green Technology Corner – Showcase at BEC Headquarters
BEC has launched the Green Technology Corner at BEC Headquarters to provide more opportunities for members to showcase their green technologies and products. If you are interested in showing the green technologies of your company, please contact Ms. Kitty Wong (T. 2787 3924 | E. kitty@bec.org.hk).
BEC Members Corner
HKT Won the Biggest Unit Saver Award of the Power Smart Energy Saving Contest 2014
As a premier telecommunication service provider that has served the Hong Kong community for almost a century, HKT recognises the importance of good environmental stewardship and is committed to integrating environmental management into business.
In 2014, HKT continued to modernise its network facilities by using the Next Generation Network which can reduce electricity consumption by up to 70% and to replace the air-conditioning systems with energy efficient water-cooled chillers at two additional exchange buildings. It won the Biggest Unit Saver Award of the Power Smart Energy Saving Contest in 2014 and 2013 in recognition of its efforts in actively enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
In the coming years, HKT plans to continue the modernisation of network facilities and air-conditioning systems, so as to bring long-term environmental benefits to society.
The Banqueting House Wins Accolades for Green Achievements
The Banqueting House has been actively incorporating environmentally friendly measures into its business operations and promoting them to restaurant guests. In recognition of its green achievements, the Banqueting House received the Gold Award in Restaurants Sector of 2012 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence and Sliver Award in Green Achievement Award of HSBC Living Business Awards 2014.
As a pioneer in green practices, the company was the first Chinese restaurant chain in Hong Kong to introduced ocean-friendly and shark-free menu. Since 2013, the company has organised staff training courses and implemented an incentive scheme which evaluates staff performance based on resource saving. Moreover, the company has installed greener facilities, such as energy-efficient steam ovens and LED lighting, in all restaurants in order to enhance energy efficiency.
"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 120 - 150 words, which BEC will reserve the rights of editing and publishing. The submission deadline for the next E-newsletter is 26 February 2015 (Thursday).
To submit an article or enquire about this section, please contact Ms. Joey Hui (T 2784 3958 | E joey@bec.org.hk).
BEC Members Update
Please join us in welcoming the following new member:
Corporate Member
C&G Environmental Protection Holdings Limited
Chinachem Agencies Ltd
Veolia Environmental Services China Limited
General Member
AEC Limited
BAFCO Hong Kong Limited
Smart Cities Patents Limited
Sun Ngai International Enterprise Limited
Telemax Environmental and Energy Management Limited
Tesla Motors HK Limited
TOGO Pacific Limited
Affiliate Member
Clean The World Asia Limited
NRDC Limited
Program Contractors Limited
Sunta Chemical Limited
Ultra Active Technology Limited
BEC Supporting Events
| Date | Event | Organiser |
| 17 April 2015 | HKIE Environmental Division Annual Forum "The Future Directions and Breakthroughs of Hong Kong's Environmental Industry" http://bec.org.hk/events-current/the-hkie-environmental-division-annual-forum-the-future-directions-and-breakthroughs-of-hong-kongs-environmental-industry |
HKIE Environmental Division |
| 7 May 2015 | IFMA Integrate 2015 Facility Management Conference http://bec.org.hk/events-current/ifma-integrate-2015-facility-management-conference |
The Hong Kong Chapter of the International Facility Management Association |
| 11 - 14 June 2015 | Youth to Sustainability Summit 2015 http://bec.org.hk/events-current/youth-to-sustainability-summit-2015 |
AIESEC |
| 2014 – 2015 | 5th Hong Kong Corporate Citizenship Program http://bec.org.hk/events-current/the-5th-hong-kong-corporate-citizenship-program |
Hong Kong Productivity Council |
| 2014 – 2015 | The "Let's Save 10L Water" Campaign http://www.waterconservation.hk/en/main.html |
Water Supplies Department |
| 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 |