From a simple focus on E&M equipment and vehicle maintenance in the 1950s and 1960s, EMSD started its regulatory work on E&M safety matters in the 1970s. Its engineering services then expanded into sewage disposal, solid waste incineration and medical electronics in the 1980s. The 1990s were the decade when it ushered in the era of energy efficiency and, in 1996, created the Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund. This completely overhauled its E&M engineering service delivery to other public bodies, and along with it, totally re-shaped the mindset and work culture of its people.

Relocating to new headquarters is another such catalyst of change. The search for a new headquarters for EMSD was conducted with an awareness of the importance of preserving continuity while instigating change. For the people of EMSD, the move itself is only the beginning of greater things to come. The sense of space at the new headquarters, its stunning views of Lion Rock and the panoramic Kowloon and Hong Kong skylines, are perhaps a sign of the grand scale of achievements, and challenges, in store for EMSD in the future.