Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance

Purpose of Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance

The "Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance" was fully implemented in Hong Kong on September 21, 2012. Hong Kong's greenhouse gas emissions reached 42.7 million metric tons of CO2e in the year before the implementation of the Ordinance. As of 2022 after the implementation of the Ordinance , the greenhouse gas emissions are approximately was 33.5 million metric tons of CO2e, a drop of more than 20%. Chapter 610 of the Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance requires certain types of buildings to comply with energy efficiency standards for building services installations and conduct energy audits. 90% of Hong Kong’s greenhouse gas emissions Originating from the electricity consumption in buildings, since the implementation of the Ordinance, more than 2,000 new buildings and more than 13,000 major renovation projects of existing buildings have met energy efficiency standards. In addition, more than 2,600 commercial buildings have completed their first energy audit. The main purpose of the Ordinance is of course to identify energy management opportunities and optimize the electrical energy efficiency of buildings through building energy audits.

Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance Objectives

In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 , the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has set energy-saving targets in the "Hong Kong Climate Action Blueprint 2050" to improve the energy efficiency of buildings through energy audits and reduce the overall electricity consumption of Hong Kong buildings. Target By 2050 or before, the electricity consumption of commercial buildings will be reduced by 30% to 40% compared with 2015, while the electricity consumption of residential buildings will be reduced by 20% to 30%. The first phase aims to achieve half of the above goals by 2035 or before.

The Chief Executive proposed in the 2023 Policy Address that the government will consult the industry on proposals for amending the Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance in 2023, including expanding the scope of supervision to more types of buildings , mandating the disclosure of energy audit report information , and shortening energy audits . Cycle etc. The goal is to launch legislative work in 2024.

Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance Review Targets

For 13 designated building types (including new buildings or major renovation works in existing buildings), their building services installations must comply with the minimum energy efficiency design standards of the Building Energy Efficiency Code:

1. commercial building
2. Parts of a composite building not used for residential or industrial purposes
3. Hotel or guesthouse
4. Common areas of residential buildings
5. Common areas of that part of a composite building used for residential or industrial purposes
6. Common areas of industrial buildings
7. Buildings occupied mainly for educational purposes
8. Buildings occupied mainly for community purposes (including community halls and social service centers), and composite-use buildings occupied for 2 or more of the above places
9. Buildings occupied mainly for municipal purposes (including markets, cooked food centres, libraries, civic centers or cultural centers and indoor sports venues), and composite-use buildings occupied for 2 or more of the above places
10. Buildings occupied mainly for medical and health care services (including hospitals, clinics and rehabilitation centres)
11. A building owned by a government used primarily to house persons during the performance of any government function
12. Airport passenger terminal
13. Railway station.
14. Buildings or parts thereof occupied primarily for data center purposes (will be increased to category 14 if revised)

Energy audit projects and audit cycles

The Building Energy Efficiency Ordinance stipulates that certain specified types of buildings must comply with relevant codes on energy efficiency and energy audits of building services installations, and provide for relevant matters. Audit items include air-conditioning installations , electrical installations , lifts and escalator installations and lighting installations . The revision has the opportunity to shorten the energy audit cycle. Since the average energy audit cycle in other major countries and cities is 5 years, there are also opinions in the society that the current 10-year energy audit cycle is too long and the benefits of energy audit cannot be fully utilized. In order to allow owners or property management companies to learn more promptly and consider adopting the latest energy-saving technologies and management measures, if the "Regulations" are revised, the energy audit cycle will be shortened from once every 10 years to once every 5 years.

Hong Kong Energy Audit (HKEA)

Hong Kong Energy Audit (HKEA) Hong Kong Energy Audit provides professional energy audit services. A team composed of professional engineers and registered energy assessors will identify energy management opportunities for buildings and provide energy saving and carbon reduction solutions. Project suggestions and one-stop provision of energy-saving project construction, giving you the most comprehensive energy optimization support. Feel free to contact our customer service staff and consultants at any time to inquire about energy audit service quotations or energy efficiency optimization project suggestions.