As a government department, ArchSD is fully aware of our indispensable role in advocating green office management, something which is of paramount importance to the mitigation of climate change. As we move forward, continuously striving to create a more sustainable workplace, we have begun to adopt an integrated management system (IMS) which closely monitors our environmental performance in the areas of energy, waste, water and indoor air quality, thus optimising our sustainability efforts. Apart from actively integrating green practices into our office operations, we are also committed to nurturing environmental awareness among our staff in all branches and all offices.
Our robust IMS, which encompasses aspects of environmental management (ISO 14001), occupational health and safety (ISO 18001), energy management (ISO 50001) and quality management (ISO 9001), was established at ArchSD to benchmark our environmental performance and ensure the management system remains at international standards. The IMS allows us to formulate guidelines, procedures and strategies which ensure that our day-to-day office operations meet and comply with the requirements of management system.
As we work to prioritise improvement measures and devise strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it is pivotal for us to understand the nature of our direct and indirect GHG emissions.
Energy consumption accounts for a significant part of our carbon footprint, hence we monitor our electricity use and implement energy efficiency measures such as lighting retrofitting works at our offices which echo our commitment to energy reduction. During the reporting year, ArchSD maintained a 'Class of Excellence' Energywi$e Certificate, awarded by the Hong Kong Green Organisation Certification (HKGOC) scheme in recognition of our outstanding energy saving efforts.
To strive for even greater environmental excellence, we proactively seek to use clean, renewable energy whenever appropriate. For example, during the reporting year, we installed over 100 photovoltaic panels on the rooftop of the APB Centre. These panels cover a portion of our energy needs.
In alignment with the carbon emissions reduction targets set out in the Hong Kong Climate Action Plan 2030+, we regularly conduct carbon audits to quantify our carbon footprint. Our carbon audits are carried out in accordance with the international standard Greenhouse Gas Protocol, while also making reference to guidelines published by the Environmental Protection Department and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. These audits take into account three major greenhouse gases: CO2, CH4 and N2O. Our electricity and towngas consumption, as well as other operational data, are also regularly tracked for our annual management review to help identify areas for improvement.
The carbon emissions produced by the Queensway Government Offices (QGO) have remained stable over the past five financial years. In fact, a 5.4% reduction in carbon emissions has been realised over this five-year period, the result of increased energy conservation awareness among staff and the adoption of energy-saving measures at QGO.
| FY 2013-14 | FY 2014-15 | FY 2015-16 | FY 2016-17 | FY 2017-18 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Direct Emissions (Tonnes of CO2-e) |
14.90 |
18.92 |
6.90 |
6.87 |
7.12 |
Energy Indirect Emissions (Tonnes of CO2-e)[1] |
2,277.59 |
2,344.73 |
2,255.11 |
2,247.02 |
2,169.03 |
Other Indirect Emissions (Tonnes of CO2-e)[2] |
39.02 |
34.72 |
83.78 |
95.09 |
29.61 |
Total (Tonnes of CO2-e)[2] |
2,331.51 |
2,398.37 |
2,345.79 |
2,348.98 |
2,205.76 |
Upgrades made to the building's air conditioning system, regular maintenance and the application of various energy efficiency features at the APB Centre resulted in a gradual drop in carbon emissions of about 8.8% in 2018 as compared to 2014.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct Emissions (Tonnes of CO2-e) |
886.29 |
619.08 |
628.22 |
601.86 |
769.69 |
|
Energy Indirect Emissions (Tonnes of CO2-e)[3] |
1,756.58 |
1,802.93 |
1,719.53 |
1,686.67 |
1,642.88 |
|
Other Indirect Emissions (Tonnes of CO2-e) |
8.68 |
6.72 |
5.05 |
13.98 |
5.04 |
|
Total (Tonnes of CO2-e) |
2,651.55 |
2,428.72 |
2,352.80 |
2,302.51 |
2,417.61 |
ArchSD is dedicated to responsibly managing our waste. To ensure that our actions match this dedication, we have introduced a series of measures to reduce waste at source and encourage recycling. For example, we issued green housekeeping guidelines on areas including reduction of paper consumption and waste minimisation to facilitate our staff to adopt best waste management practice. Our recycling efforts are also on display at the APB Centre and QGO, where we have set up various waste collection facilities which collect a vast array of recyclables, including waste paper, plastic bottles,used toner cartridges, aluminium cans, and used CDs.
As we work to continuously improve, every year we set up targets to enhance our waste management practices. During the reporting year, we established various targets such as to increase waste paper recycling. Finally, we successfully recycled around 20,000 kg of A3 and A4 waste paper and were also awarded the 'Class of Excellence' Wastewi$e Certificate for consecutive years under the Hong Kong Green Organisation Certification Scheme.
To conserve water resources, ArchSD is committed to reducing our total potable water usage. In addition to installing water saving devices like sensor taps and dual-flush cisterns, we also keep track of our potable water and flushing water consumption, and carry out regular maintenance on our water supply system. In parallel, we have also issued a general circular entitled 'Measures of Green Housekeeping' to help raise awareness of the importance of water conservation.
We are fully aware that our staff spend most of their working time indoors. As such, we endeavour to provide a pleasant indoor environment which safeguards their health and well-being. We ensure that we adhere to good indoor air quality (IAQ) management practices by sticking to guidelines published by the Environmental Protection Department. Over the years, we have supported the government's IAQ advocacy by participating in the IAQ Certification Scheme, which works to improve IAQ and engages accredited bodies to conduct IAQ assessments. Upon the completion of various indoor air quality measures, both APB Centre and QGO were awarded 'Basic Level' IAQwi$e Certificates during the reporting year.
In 2017/18, ArchSD was once again awarded with a Hong Kong Green Organisation Certificate. We are proud that multiple aspects of our environmental practices have continued to gain recognition.
Our determination to protect the environment is not limited to our office operations. We are a firm believer in promoting environmental awareness at multiple touch points in the workplace, as this allows our staff to gain a deeper understanding of global environmental issues and consequently provide further support to our environmental initiatives.
As such, we are continuously working to encourage a green culture at ArchSD, one which puts environmental principles into practice and disseminates environmental messages to our staff via the intranet, emails and other channels. A designated team of 64 Green Wardens, made up of staff from various branches and divisions, has been appointed to spread green messages and assist in organising ArchSD's various environmental awareness enhancement programmes and activities. Our staff also proactively participate in environmental activities and training sessions, for instance, Annual International Arboriculture Summit (Hong Kong), Seminar on Strategic Street Tree Planting and Urban Forestry in Hong Kong, and Seminar on Waste Reduction and Recyling in Hong Kong and Environmental Compliance in BEAM Plus Submission, to enhance their environmental awareness and gain professional qualifications in various environmental domains. We also maintain a group of staff members with the BEAM Pro qualification.
In the Building Services Branch, my major responsibilities involve monitoring quality controls over our building services, mainly through conducting site visits and audits on construction sites to ensure that our products and services comply with applicable requirements and standards. As the Chief Technical Officer, I also oversee staff training to promote staff's overall sustainability awareness, career development and promotion matters in the branch.
ArchSD always strives to stay at the forefront of technological innovations with sustainable features, share the latest trends and development of industry insights with the staff, and adopt smart and innovative technologies in practice. A number of new technologies including Building Information Modelling (BIM), Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) have recently been applied in more and more of our projects to enhance site environmental performance and better manage the construction schedule and quality. To enhance staff competence in the relevant areas, we have continuously arranged and provided various trainings courses to equip our colleagues with sufficient knowledge to meet operational needs. Besides, our Knowledge Management Hub, as a centralised online library, provides abundant information and publications to facilitate us in learning continuously at our own paces.
At ArchSD, we have a harmonious working atmosphere that motivates everyone to perform and excel. The management maintains regular and effective communication with all levels of staff through various channels such as meetings, forums, email, intranet, and newsletters. The latest information regarding sustainability initiatives, technology development, staff activities and other department updates would also be shared among our staff in a timely manner. 
We are pleased to know that our efforts are recognised by our staff. We believe that providing professional trainings to promote our staff's environmental awareness and the implementation of sustainability initiatives as well as technologies are crucial in achieving our aspirations in sustainable development. We will continue to monitor latest trends to identify the sustainable development opportunities and enhance the sustainable culture amongst our workplace.
