Green office guide. Prepared by: Haitian LU. Deputy Director, CESEF

Transcription

1 Green office guide Prepared by: Haitian LU Deputy Director, CESEF

2 Our pledge The School of Accounting and Finance aspires to a green office environment and healthy life style of its staff. We call upon all staff and students to contribute to a sustainable future by offering the following 12 Green Tips, which we collected from various public resources.

3 1. Green Your Commute > According to Hong Kong Energy End-use Data 2010, transport energy use accounts for 32% of total energy consumed within Hong Kong at enduse level in > Vehicles are one of the major sources of air pollution, emitting smoke, repairable particulates and chemicals such as carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) which are not only harmful to our health, but also reduce the visibility in urban areas. > We can ease some of this strain by carpooling, taking public transit, biking, walking, or a creative combination thereof. (Source: Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of HKSAR Government

4 2. Travel less > Wendell Cox s blog highlights that the average commute in Hong Kong is 45 minutes. This is longer than in Los Angeles and London. > Instant messaging, video conferencing, and other innovative workflow tools make effective telecommuting a reality. > For example, Skype etc. If you can telecommute, hold phone conferences, or take online classes, give it a try. (Source:

5 3. Save energy on your computer > For many people with desk jobs the computer is necessary to get things done. Yet, this "efficiency" comes at a cost - it is estimated that people waste over $1 billion in electricity every year just in computer use! > Don't keep the PC on 24 hours. You waste 150 watts unnecessarily per hour. Multiply 150 by 24 hrs. you waste 3600 watts. > To help conserve energy from your computer use, you can Switch to energy-saving settings or use Energy Star equipment. (Source:

6 4. Set ideal room temperature for air conditioning > About one-third of the electricity consumed in Hong Kong is used for air conditioning. > Setting the room temperature of air-conditioned premises at 25.5 C and dressing lightly in the summer time could provide occupants with a reasonable level of thermal comfort while consuming less electricity for air-conditioning. (Source:

7 5. Bring your own lunchbox > Everyone looks forward to their lunch break! > You can save a good amount of money (about HKD$23,000 a year) by not going out to eat every day and instead packing your lunch. > It will save you money, and bring you a nice flavor of home during a busy day at work. Plus, you won t have to worry about spending your lunch hour queuing or waiting for food, you can just take the time to relax and enjoy your meal. > And, of course, it will save the planet from having to absorb unnecessary packaging waste. It is easy to find cool, fun containers in all shapes and sizes, as well as reusable utensils and cloth napkins. (Source: Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of HKSAR Government )

8 6. Use less paper > 42% of all global wood harvest is used to make paper. 10 liters of water is needed to make one piece of A4 paper. > 50% of the waste of businesses is composed of paper. Here's one way to meet that challenge: Stop printing so much!. > Change your default print settings to double-side printing. Change your default document setting like wider margin, single-line spacing. > You may also reuse the paper which has been used on one side for scrap paper; cut down on paper for memos; and minimize the number of files. (Source:

9 7. Distinguish recyclable and non-recyclable paper >Not all paper can be recycled. (Picture from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department

10 8. Take the stairs > Lift electricity consumption accounted for about 17% of total electricity consumption in office buildings, second only to the air conditioning power consumption. > The electricity consumption of each run of a lift equals to 15 hours of electric fans or 1.5 hours of air conditioning. > Use more stairs for exercise and energy saving! (Source: picture: )

11 9. Green procurement > As early as year 2000, the Government amended its procurement regulations to require bureau and departments to take into account environmental considerations when procuring goods and services with improved recyclability, higher recycled content, reduced packaging, greater durability, and greater energy efficiency. > We shall purchase office equipment such as photocopiers, water dispensers, refrigerators with Energy Efficiency label; Purchase green stationery such as refillable ball pens and recycled pencils. > Avoid purchasing disposal item such as nonrechargeable battery. (Source: Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of HKSAR Government

12 10. Go digital with your documents > An AIIM report noted that just 17 percent of offices have moved to a paperless process, and 84 percent of businesses that do implement a paperless system see a return on investment in less than 18 months. > A great way to reduce paper use and get contracts and documents signed more quickly is to use electronic signatures. > We shall also ask to be removed from promotional mailing lists; and encourage electronic mailing.

13 11. Design your green office > The Environmental Protection Department encourages waste reduction and recycling activities. Since 1991 it has provided a helpline service to help the public organize waste reduction and recycling programs. It also provides information on recyclers and technical advice on waste recovery and recycling. > Designate a corner in the general office as the " recycle bucket" for collecting. Implement waste separation by placing recycling bins in office areas for all recyclables. > Our recycling bins to collect all recyclables, such as waste paper, metals and plastics are located at the lobby of Li Ka Shing Tower besides the lift. (Source: picture: )

14 12. Other energy saving tips > The energy consumption per capita in 2014 was 39.9GJ per capita. For the period from , the energy consumption per capita reduced by 3.4 % (decreased at an average annual rate of 0.3%). > On an economy-wide perspective, the energy consumption per dollar Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 128 TJ per billion HK dollar in > We could Switch off part of or all lighting and airconditioning during lunch breaks, overtime working hours or after office hours. > Remember to Switch off the lighting, airconditioning and equipment before leaving meeting rooms. (Source: Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of HKSAR Government

15 Summary 1. Green your commute by taking public transit, walking, or carpooling 2. Use remote communication to avoid unnecessary travel 3. Save energy on your computers by switching to energy-saving settings 4. Set ideal room temperature for air conditioning 5. Bring your own lunchbox to save unnecessary packaging waste 6. Use less paper 7. Distinguish recyclable and non-recyclable paper 8. Take the stairs and avoid using the lift when possible 9. Green procurement in office places 10. Go digital with your documents 11. Design your own green office 12. Other energy saving habits