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Elizabeth Turner

Offices in the city are discovering that a commitment to conservation brings significant rewards

The benefits to a community that aspires to being  environmentally friendly are obvious: less pollution, less waste, a cleaner environment and more natural resources for the next generation.

Organisers of the Eco-Business Awards say  awareness of such issues has greatly improved in Hong Kong since the awards were launched five years ago.

Legislator  Henry Wu King-cheong,    who was the convenor of the 2003 awards and has been involved with the scheme  since its inception,  says  one sign of progress is that many offices are now in the habit of  recycling used materials, such as paper.

A widespread misconception in relation to 'going green' is that operational costs  will increase.

But while an initial financial commitment might be required (to install energy-efficient lighting or upgrade air-conditioners, for example), the real cost is not in capital outlay but in time, according to  Joseph Lee Chung-tak,  chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee.

'Companies must allocate manpower time, so it could be a little bit expensive in the beginning,' he says.

This could be a problem for smaller companies that do not have the manpower to spare such time,  but large organisations with human resource departments in place already have the resources.

Apart from being good for the environment, going green  holds financial advantages for companies.

Elvis Au Wai-kwong, assistant director (environmental assessment and noise) at the Environmental Protection Department, says reducing pollution in the workplace  often saves money, helps avoid costly remedial measures and reduces waste.

Hence, it is economically more efficient and leads to higher resource productivity.

There is a global  trend towards green offices.

In Australia, companies that join the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating, which monitors the energy-efficacy of buildings, are able to cut costs by up to 40 per cent simply by upgrading heating and lighting systems, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald   last month.

Mr Au says companies that implement environmentally friendly policies gain a  competitive advantage over time. Plus, it gives them an opportunity to cultivate and maintain a better reputation in their communities.

'More and more leading companies around the world are expecting their suppliers and contractors or subcontractors to have  a better environmental performance,'  he says.

'Consumers around the world are demanding or expecting more environmentally friendly services and products.'

Mr Lee says increased health awareness over the past few years has helped get the message across that a green office benefits those who work there by creating a more pleasant and safe environment.

Key to sustaining a long-term eco-friendly office is employees who buy into the philosophy, he says. 'That's really important.'

This means spending time educating staff on new policies, and explaining the benefits they will bring.

Measures that become a part of daily office life are likely to have a knock-on effect at home too, with staff passing the message on to  other household members.

Mr Wu says  the Green Property Management Award (Private Housing) has helped improve environmental awareness on housing estates as management offices tell residents about the measures they have taken and why.

Some are passing on financial savings to tenants with reduced management fees, while others have introduced incentives for tenants who follow green guidelines.

Conservation in the office

Recycle paper by printing or photocopying on both sides

Arrange for waste paper to be collected

Set up a battery recharging scheme

Switch off electrical appliances when they are not in use

Replace central control switches for lights and air-conditioning with power points that control small areas

Use suppliers of eco-friendly products or services

Conservation in the home

Separate waste (aluminium cans, plastic and paper) and take it to recycle bins

Switch off non-essential lights

Use less water (turn the tap off when brushing teeth or washing hair); fix leaky faucets and dripping taps

Recycle plastic bags by taking old ones to the shop



HK firms aspire to greener practices