The Force is setting the pace in environmental protection with huge reductions in power and paper consumption that is not only helping out Mother Nature, but also bringing mammoth savings.

Announcing the Force's achievements in green management over the past 18 months, Director of Finance, Administration and Planning Keith Kwok Ka-keung said progress had been very encouraging.

"Two years ago, the Force was identified in an Audit Review as being one of the largest electricity consumers in the Government and by implication, one of the most wasteful. Now we are undoubtedly one of the leaders in reducing electricity expenditure. It began when the Commissioner directed we aim to achieve a three per cent reduction in consumption," he said. To provide extra stimulus for this and other environmentally friendly ideas, the Force Green Manager Working Group was upgraded to a Steering Committee under Mr Kwok's chairmanship with senior disciplined and civilian staff as members.

"We decided we were unlikely to come up with sufficient savings in electricity consumption if we merely repeated calls for lights and air-conditioners to be turned off when offices were vacated, so we called in the experts from the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD)."

EMSD conducted "energy walkthroughs" in more than 100 police buildings and provided practical advice on reducing consumption. Recommendations have been implemented in 35 of these buildings and some of the changes are not even noticeable to staff, involving technical improvements such as making fluorescent lights more efficient. The minimum saving with these is 20 per cent and in Arsenal House and its West Wing the Force has changed 11,954 lights giving a potential annual saving of more than half a million dollars. Many cases have been identified where relatively low capital expenditure can produce long-term recurrent savings.

"Some of these can be quite dramatic," Mr Kwok said. "For example, in Kowloon West we spent $75,000 to replace capacitor banks to eliminate power distribution loss in five police buildings and this will yield an annual saving of $167,322 which means that the projects paid for themselves in just over five months. We will be implementing more of this type of project with priority being given to those with the quickest payback periods."

Crime Wing Headquarters suggested additional switches in the corridors of Arsenal House West Wing to reduce lighting levels after normal office hours.

"This is a very good example of how attitudes are changing and staff are taking the initiative in suggesting energy conservation measures. We welcome this and hope other suggestions are forthcoming," Mr Kwok said, adding such ideas could be submitted to the Police Staff Suggestions Committee.

Energizing green management

Some 80 per cent of the Force's electricity consumption was in air-conditioning. EMSD would be studying the A/C systems in Arsenal House, its West Wing and KW Regional Headquarters where significant savings might be achieved. Energy audits had also been commissioned at seven other police buildings.

Force power expenditure was reduced by $11,863,499 or 8.9 per cent in the financial year 1999/2000 when compared with 1998/1999. For the 2000/2001 financial year, expenditure at the half-year stage was 0.09 per cent above budget.

"These are excellent achievements," Mr Kwok said. "Particularly when measured against the trend of rising consumption recorded in the previous three years. But this year's figures show that we cannot be complacent and need to redouble our saving efforts, particularly in light of power price increases which have been announced for 2001.

"The Force will be a leader in Government for exploring new ideas to make energy savings. One notable pilot project being pursued is energy performance contracting." Under this, a government department enters into a contract with an energy services company who pays all up-front costs for an energy management project and, in return, receives a share of the resulting savings in electricity costs for the duration of the contract. "We will be the first department to try out this concept," Mr Kwok said.

EMSD's Energy Efficiency Office would serve as project co-ordinator and invite companies to submit proposals. Three would be selected and each assigned a similar building. Kwai Chung Police Station, Tsuen Wan District Headquarters and Police Station, and Yuen Long Police Station have been tentatively identified for the pilot. The first contract would be awarded early this year with installation work starting in mid-2001.

"Now the Force has a one line vote, we are able to keep our savings and use them for other purposes. By making savings in electricity charges we have been able to avoid cuts in more important areas to meet our EPP obligations without compromising the level of service we provide to the community," Mr Kwok said.