'A few tweaks' could cut power use

Energy-hungry office buildings could slash power use by 30 per cent by tweaking lighting and air-conditioning systems, a green group says.

Buildings account for 90 per cent of the city's electricity use and two-thirds of greenhouse gas emissions, but most owners and tenants do not have the incentive to go green, the Hong Kong Green Building Council says.

In November, it launched its Building Energy Performance Recognition Scheme to cut office energy use via a benchmark and labelling scheme.

It helps offices analyse energy consumption and assess savings.

Participating companies are then ranked on a performance scale - green, bronze, silver, gold and platinum - and awarded corresponding labels. Assessors then recommend ways they can cut use further.

"This is a powerful scheme because it allows companies to be compared with others," council director Cary Chan Wing-hong said.

"Nobody will want to fall in the lower percentile and this will eventually drive improvement."