Message
from the Director

ACHIEVEMENTS IN FOUR AREAS

Anti-Epidemic Work

Though the fifth wave of the epidemic hit Hong Kong hard in early 2022, our colleagues stayed united in the mission to help the city beat the virus. We are pleased to report that EMSD colleagues have not only deployed innovative and technology (I&T) solutions in the process, but also demonstrated the “can-do spirit” and “Hong Kong speed” which our city is known for.

For example, we provided E&M support for the conversion of existing venues into Community Isolation Facilities, often within 14 days or fewer, and rendered our ventilation assessment in early 2022 at over 600 venues for use as Compulsory Universal Testing Centres, if necessary, in the future.

Apart from that, we helped clients meet the unfortunately huge demand for body storage spaces at the peak of the fifth wave by setting up outdoor refrigerated containers near the Fu Shan Public Mortuary and Kwai Chung Public Mortuary and liaised with CLP Power Hong Kong Limited to install a temporary power supply system for the purpose.

We also supported the Government in reactivating cross-boundary railway freight service at the peak of the fifth wave by completing a series of relevant procedures to ensure railway safety from the regulatory perspective within seven days. These included reviewing the railway operator’s technical assessment of the Mainland freight trains operating to Hong Kong; monitoring on-site tests of the trains, tracks, power and communication systems conducted by the operator; and assessing the adequacy of operation preparedness of the relevant track section and emergency response plans formulated by the operator. In carrying out these tasks, colleagues from all divisions under the EMSD have demonstrated great enthusiasm, ingenuity and a speed never thought possible before.

For “restriction-testing declaration” (RTD) operations, we provided manpower, supplies and other resources, such as information technology expertise for on-site data mapping to enhance the efficiency of the operations. The “can-do spirit” of our colleagues was evident in these operations and has won praises from the Government and other stakeholders.

We were also called upon in February 2022 to set up a hotline for the Government’s designated taxi fleet within a short time, with our rich experience in operating client fault call hotline system and providing customer service. The fleet provided Coronavirus Disease 2019 patients in isolation at home with free transport services between the designated clinics and their residences to avoid infection in the community.

Government’s Technical Advisor

During the year we stepped up our role as the technical advisor to the Government, above and beyond our duty as a regulator, promoter and E&M service provider. Indeed, leveraging our strength in the three aspects of expertise, technology and finance, we have been able to provide more technical advice and value-added services to clients and the community.

Colleagues from various divisions have contributed their expertise through participating in anti-epidemic operations. We also conducted ventilation assessments at the dine-in restaurants, schools and residential buildings with cluster outbreaks. In fact, one of our colleagues was invited to provide professional advice to the Working Group on Air Change or Air Purifiers in Catering Premises in the capacity as an observer.

I&T Recognition

This review would not be complete without outlining the initial achievements of our I&T efforts in recent years. The EMSTF has proactively facilitated the digitalisation of clients’ E&M assets and their use of I&T solutions. The Regulatory Services lost no time in using I&T to facilitate law enforcement work and enhance E&M safety. As a smart regulator, we initiated 45 online application services, more than 150 e-forms as well as eight digital E&M licences with dynamic QR Codes during the year, bringing greater convenience to the trade and the public. We are glad that I&T projects from both arms of the EMSD have won a number of awards in the past year, including 19 medals from the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2022.

Among the I&T projects of the Regulatory Services is an Intelligent Digital Escalator Monitoring System (i-DEMS) using optical fibre sensing technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics to identify faults early and prevent step dislocation caused by foreign object obstruction. The i-DEMS project not only won a gold medal from the above international exhibition, but also produced impressive results in practical application. With its trial use at 15 escalators in both government and private-sector venues, zero incident or breakdown caused by equipment fault or foreign object obstruction was found at the above venues during the year, indicating that the i-DEMS project could greatly boost escalator safety.

International Exchange

International and regional co-operation, including our work in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), was the fourth area of our achievements. During the year, our Assistant Director/Electricity and Energy Efficiency was elected as Deputy Lead Shepherd of the Energy Working Group (EWG) under the APEC for session 2021/23. A former Assistant Director also continues to represent Hong Kong and serve as Chairman for the Expert Group on Energy Efficiency and Conservation under the EWG for session 2021/23.

It is noteworthy that these two Hong Kong representatives obtained unanimous support from all 21 member economies of the APEC to take on leadership roles in the EWG. This not only represents recognition of the EMSD’s contribution to the APEC over the years, but also expands the influence of Hong Kong in regional energy conservation work. The APEC is also an important platform for us to promote Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 and share experiences with member economies on carbon neutrality.

Indeed, the Central Government of the People's Republic of China expects Hong Kong to maintain its international exchanges. As President Xi Jinping remarked in his speech marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 2022, one of the four “musts” is that “we must maintain Hong Kong’s distinctive status and advantages” so as “to expand and facilitate its exchanges with the world”. It is in this spirit that we have forged various regional and international exchanges and collaborations in recent years, not only with the APEC but also other major international organisations, such as the International Railway Safety Council. The EMSD is also a member of its Core Group.

In fact, we always look out for overseas collaboration opportunities. Recent examples include signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Energy Market Authority of Singapore in 2020 for closer co-operation in enhancing energy safety. Preparations are also underway for hosting the 71st International Meeting of Technical Authorities for Cableways, tentatively scheduled for September 2023, in Hong Kong.

INSIGHTS FROM FIFTH WAVE OF THE EPIDEMIC: HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE

Experience from fighting the fifth wave of the epidemic shows that “hardware” and “software” are equally important in anti-epidemic work. The “hardware” covers the necessary anti-epidemic supplies, systems, equipment and I&T solutions which must be ready for deployment at very short notice. The “software” refers to skills and capabilities including teamwork and collaboration as well as flexible manpower deployment in the face of uncertainties and new challenges. Both are key to dealing with major epidemics and other emergencies in future.

As we strove to enhance our “hardware”, our “software” capabilities, such as collaboration, also improved on many levels. Collaboration started at sub-division level, including colleagues from different sub-divisions working together in RTD operations. Certain tasks required cross-division collaboration, such as the development of the Community Vaccination Centre (CVC) Remote Monitoring System involving our Health Sector Division, Municipal Sector Division and General Engineering Services Division.

The system uses Internet of Things technology to monitor the operation of medical fridges for vaccine storage, lifts and escalators, air-conditioning and power supply systems at all CVCs across the territory round the clock. The cross-division project was a success and greatly enhanced the operation efficiency of the CVCs and effectiveness of vaccine storage.

Many anti-epidemic tasks called for inter-departmental collaboration, including setting up Community Isolation Facilities, increasing body storage spaces at public mortuaries and carrying out RTD operations, all at short notice. Our colleagues have excelled in these joint urgent tasks, working well with staff from other departments. The ability to collaborate with different people under different circumstances is valuable, and the EMSD colleagues will no doubt collaborate effectively again with other organisations in future.

CONTRIBUTING TO DECARBONISATION

In 2021/22, we focus on decarbonisation work to help the Government achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In October 2021, the Government announced Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 which outlined four major decarbonisation strategies, namely “net-zero electricity generation”, “energy saving and green buildings”, “green transport” and “waste reduction”. The EMSD has a role to play in implementing these strategies.

The “net-zero electricity generation” strategy aims to cease using coal for daily electricity generation and increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in the fuel mix for electricity generation to 7.5% to 10% by 2035, and to 15% subsequently. Our Energy Efficiency Office (EEO) has been promoting the use of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems through community programmes such as Solar Harvest, while our Electricity Legislation Division has supported the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Scheme by registering roof-top solar PV systems for those participating in the scheme and monitoring the operation of such systems. The EMSTF has also continued to help client departments install solar PV systems at government offices and public venues so as to use more RE.

To help the public make the most of the FiT scheme, the EEO went the extra mile to develop two I&T projects with a university and several government departments, one of which being the Hong Kong Solar Irradiation Map (the Map). The project uses data from the Hong Kong Observatory and other departments to build a digital 3D model for simulation of solar irradiation on site in order to calculate the annual irradiation of all building rooftops in Hong Kong, so that those interested in setting up solar PV systems can perform a preliminary assessment of the solar energy potential for their building rooftops and estimate the potential FiT income and payback period.

Another project was the Integrated Solar Energy Performance Management Toolkit (iSMS), which uses AI and digital twin technology to estimate the power generation performance of solar PV systems and predict the timing of necessary system repair and maintenance. The Map and the iSMS won a silver and a bronze medal respectively at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2022.

The Government also introduced measures recently to facilitate the installation of solar PV systems by the private sector in open car parks at non-domestic premises. Such measures include exempting the coverage of PV systems from the gross floor area calculation. We stand ready to support the implementation of the measures whenever required.

The EMSD has proactively supported the “energy saving and green buildings” strategy. It is the Government’s goal to reduce the electricity consumption of commercial buildings by 30% to 40% and that of residential buildings by 20% to 30% by 2050 from the 2015 level, and to achieve half of these targets by 2035. This means that in addition to our work in improving energy efficiency in buildings and the community, much still needs to be done to achieve the above target.

We endeavoured to promote the use of AI to enhance the energy and operation efficiency of E&M services. Further to the success of the Global AI Challenge for Building E&M Facilities which the EMSD jointly organised with partners in the Mainland in 2021, we have been using AI to optimise the operation efficiency of chiller plants. For instance, the EMSTF has been deploying the technology in the chiller plant at Tseung Kwan O Hospital, achieving a saving of about 6% of the total electricity consumption of the hospital. Moreover, the Railways Branch has developed an I&T solution namely Semantic AI for Predictive Maintenance of Railway Track Systems, which uses semantic AI technology to prevent railway incidents. The solution has won a silver medal in the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2022.

We support the “green transport” strategy with our rich knowledge on gas safety. The Gas Standards Office (GasSO) has been assisting the inter-departmental working group dedicated to promoting the use of hydrogen as fuel to conduct consultancy studies on risk assessment and safety standards for using hydrogen as fuel in Hong Kong. The Government plans to start a 12-month test of hydrogen fuel cell buses and heavy vehicles in late 2023. This ground-breaking project will put Hong Kong ahead of the world in the preparation for holistic adoption of hydrogen, including the way hydrogen infrastructures are built, supply chain and safety requirements for hydrogen filling stations, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and the operation and maintenance personnel required. If all goes well, Hong Kong is expected to be one of the few major cities in the world that achieves green transportation successfully.

FURTHER CO-OPERATION WITH THE MAINLAND

Our co-operation with the Mainland continued in 2021/22. As a “connector”, our main role is to facilitate further economic integration between Hong Kong and the Mainland by leveraging our edge in technology and talent.

A new idea is to establish the “E&M AI Lab”. The EMSD will set up the Lab in collaboration with individuals, entities, industry, academia and research institutions to accelerate the forging of partnerships to support big data and AI development for E&M facilities in buildings. In essence, the Lab will be a core group, comprised of like-minded people with the common goal of applying AI to buildings. Mainland entities have already indicated that there will be ample room for co-operation in this promising idea. The “E&M AI Lab” will augment existing collaboration platforms, such as our E&M InnoPortal, which was proved effective in connecting I&T solution providers from Hong Kong and the Mainland with users in the public sector, benefitting all concerned.

We have also contributed to talent development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) via online training and exchange. The latest example is an online sharing session on the application of Building Information Modelling-Asset Management (BIM-AM) for students of the Guangzhou Industry and Trade Technician College. The sharing session was organised under a Memorandum of Co-operation on Enhanced E&M Talent Development signed with the Guangzhou Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau in 2020. Another example is an online I&T seminar on new materials jointly organised for young people in the GBA.

In fact, the EMSD had already organised visits to the GBA for the E&M sector of Hong Kong back in 2018. When normal cross-boundary travel with the Mainland resumes, our collaboration with the GBA will undoubtedly provide new opportunities for Hong Kong youth in the E&M sector and beyond.

PRIORITIES IN 2022/23

We would like to see a continuity of work in four directions. First is carbon neutrality. We plan to implement Phase 4 of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme in 2023, and make preparatory work on the use of hydrogen as fuel for buses and heavy vehicles. As the gas safety regulator, our GasSo colleagues have approached the hydrogen initiative with a sense of mission. We are fully aware that all eventual arrangements must be safe and suitable for the circumstances of Hong Kong. The EMSTF will also continue to help clients’ buildings and venues save energy and use more RE.

The second direction is I&T. The EMSTF will continue its efforts to help clients digitalise their E&M assets and deploy more technology solutions in day-to-day operations, while the Regulatory Services will further the use of I&T to facilitate law enforcement work and enhance E&M safety. An exciting project is the Digital Logbook System for Lifts and Escalators developed by the General Legislation Division to be launched by the end of 2022. Using blockchain technology, the system enables the upload of all lift and escalator repair and maintenance records to the cloud-based Digital Logbook in real-time for centralised storage, management and analysis, replacing paper records and making monitoring of lift and escalator safety by all parties, including the Government, property management companies/owners, and the lift/escalator trade, more effective. It will also promote the application of digital technologies and big-data analysis among the trade.

We shall expand our role as the technical advisor to the Government, as our third direction. Since 2020, the EMSD has proved its effectiveness in mobilising manpower, expertise and technology at short notice to take on anti-epidemic and other unforeseen work. We have already set aside the necessary resources and obtained the Government’s support to continue the role. In particular, we have mobilised our resources to inspect and offer advice on the ventilation systems of private residential care homes for the elderly and disabled.

Last but not least, consolidating our foundation and strengths is our final direction. The Regulatory Services must step up its “prevention culture” to the extent that risks are eliminated before incidents happen. The EMSTF must maintain a sense of crisis and continue to enhance its competitiveness. Indeed, as the EMSTF’s second Five-year Strategic Plan will come to a close in 2022/23, we have started formulating the third Strategic Plan, with more emphasis on competitive strengths. It is also gratifying to note that colleagues of both the Regulatory Services and the EMSTF have been passionate about taking part in I&T projects and technology competitions, displaying an enthusiasm shared not only by a few but many.

We look forward to re-consolidating our network with the Mainland once normal travel resumes. We will step up exchanges in technology areas such as BIM-AM. We shall also take more young people to visit E&M entities in the GBA, and welcome youth from GBA cities to visit Hong Kong for exchange activities.

HEARTFELT APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE

In a year when Hong Kong was hard hit by the fifth wave of the epidemic, we were heartened to see the community united to overcome the challenges. As always, we sincerely thank the policy bureaux and government departments for their support in our regulatory work, and all our EMSTF clients for their trust and strong partnership. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to all our colleagues for their commitment and excellent service.

We are grateful to the trade associations and partners, professional bodies, academics, training and research institutions, non-governmental organisations and the Mainland and overseas partners for their unfailing support and collaboration. Our continuous improvement would not have been possible without the vigilance and feedback from the public, the media, members of the Legislative Council and other opinion leaders, and we owe them a big thank you.

The EMSD sees many new opportunities ahead. With your support, we look forward to another fruitful year.

Pang Yiu-hung