HK Electric staged a seminar today (26 June 2015) to further promote its "Smart Power Fund" which was established last June to subsidise residential buildings in implementing energy efficiency projects. To date, 12 projects have been approved, with funding support of more than HK$2.3 million.
Today's seminar served as a platform for the Company to elaborate on the details of the Fund to about 200 participants, including representatives from District Councils, owners' corporations and management companies. Successful applicants also shared their experiences on how to make the applications and what they are planning to do with the funding.
HK Electric's General Manager (Corporate Development), Mr. Yee Tak-chow, said: "We are glad to have selected 12 successful applications in the past three quarters, with most of the structures being stand-alone residential buildings as they are our main targets. We hope the Fund can help -- especially such aged buildings with poorer conditions -- to improve the energy efficiency of their communal facilities."
"Since the launch of the Fund a year ago, we have been introducing it to the District Councils on Hong Kong Island and to owners' corporations of our target buildings. We will continue to encourage more to apply to the Fund so that we can help reduce the community's carbon footprint," he added.
Also speaking at the seminar, Deputy Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services (Regulatory Services), Mr. Alfred Sit Wing-hang, said: "I would like to thank HK Electric for its continuous support of Government policies, and for promoting energy saving and carbon reduction among the public at large. I hope the Fund will appeal to more applicants and contribute to a greener global village."
The approved projects that spread across Hong Kong Island include the installation of T5 fluorescent tubes and LED lighting, the replacement of "Grade 1" energy labelled air-conditioning and the renewal of lift motors, etc.
The Chairman of the Owners' Corporation of Wan Fung Building in Wan Chai, Mr. Ngai Chin-man, was all smiles when he explained his success at the seminar. "The two lifts in our building have been in use since the 1960s and required frequent maintenance causing much inconvenience to our residents, who are mostly senior citizens. With the support of the Fund, we will soon be replacing them with lifts that are more reliable and have better energy efficiency performance," he said.
Mr. Ngai said he was grateful that the subsidy had helped home owners, especially those with limited financial resources. He said he would be happy to promote the Fund to owners of other buildings in his neighbourhood. "The application procedures are easy and convenient. Engineers from HK Electric will be providing useful tips in the pre-project on-site inspection, making the implementation even smoother."
Also at today's seminar was vetting committee member and Head of Community Engagement and Partnership of Friends of the Earth (HK), Mr. Edwin Lau Che-feng, who shared on successful energy saving projects, while another member, the Immediate Past President of the Hong Kong Association of Energy Engineers, Mr. Colin Chung Chi-leong, gave his advice on how domestic households and building premises could be more energy efficient.
Participants in the seminar were then invited to visit the Company's Electric Domestic and Commercial Kitchen Centres to better understand the latest trends in electric living.
The HK Electric Smart Power Fund was set up in June 2014 to subsidise, on a matching basis, owners of residential buildings within HK Electric's service territory to carry out energy efficiency enhancement works. Under normal circumstances, the maximum granted amount is up to HK$200,000 per building per application.
The Fund is now open for application, with quarterly deadlines of 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December. The applications will be processed with result announcement within three months after each deadline.
Details of the Fund and application forms are available at HK Electric's website, or via the enquiry hotline at 2887 3455.