These standards are for four types of buildings services installations – air-conditioning, electrical, lift and escalators, and lighting installations and require new public and private buildings covered by the Ordinance to declare their compliance with the Codes at the design and occupation approval stages.
The ordinance also mandates the existing buildings to enhance energy efficiency when undergoing retrofitting works and need the common areas of commercial buildings and commercial portions of composite buildings to carry out energy audits once every ten years.
The government plans to prepare subsidiary legislation for the registration of qualified persons as Registered Energy Assessors during the 18-month period before commencement of the main parts of the Ordinance and also on the various fees to be collected under the Ordinance.
Buildings account for 89% of the total electricity consumed in Hong Kong and the implementation of the proposals in the Ordinance is expected to result in energy savings of 2.8 billion kWh in the first decade, thereby reducing carbon dioxide emission by 1.96 million tonnes.
