Climate Change is a cross-sector, cross-domain subject which has far reaching socio-economic and cultural impacts across the globe. As a member of the global village, Hong Kong must set ambitious deep decarbonisation targets for itself. To this end, the Government has launched Hong Kong, China's Climate Action Plan 2050 in October 2021 which sets new decarbonisation strategies, targets and actions and strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.
Also, the Government pledged a new target of reducing 6% electricity consumption in government buildings over the next five years from 2020 to 2024 using 2018-19 as the base year. Major new government buildings and public housing are targeted to achieve a higher green building standard. By the application of innovation and technologies, the energy saving and conservation in buildings in the community are targeted to be further enhanced.
There are two categories of the Championship Scheme this year: The organisation category and the student category. The organisation category is to encourage the trade to work together to enhance energy efficiency and conservation in buildings with the application of retro-commissioning (RCx) and Innovation and Technology (I&T), in order to dedicate their efforts to strive for carbon neutrality. The student category is created to inspire the creativity and imagination of young people in carbon neutrality by energy saving and wider adoption of renewable energy (RE).
As the community plays an indispensable role when it comes to energy conservation, we would like to appeal for supports from different sectors of organisations and students.
The Scheme is to encourage more organisations from different sectors to take the lead to plan for and implement RCx to enhance energy efficiency of existing buildings so as to achieve carbon neutrality, and share their experience and I&T ideas in identifying and implementing the energy saving opportunities (ESOs) during RCx works. Also, the Scheme is to encourage youth to express their innovative and imaginative ideas on Energy Efficiency & Conservation (EE&C) and RE initiatives or technology in achieving carbon neutrality. Champions of each category will be invited as role models to share experience on application of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies through visits or seminars for the trades.
We look forward to the concerted efforts of the Government and the community in promoting a healthy, liveable and sustainable environment in Hong Kong, China, as we embark on Hong Kong’s deep decarbonisation journey.