Less is more for Yao Ling Sun College
Po Leung Kuk Yao Ling Sun College dominated the Hong Kong Energy Efficiency Awards and snatched the grand award in the schools category.
Organised by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the year-long energy saving competition, held from December 2004 to November 2005, attracted 230 entries for the schools and commercial & residential buildings categories.
Yao Ling Sun College scooped top prize with their innovative energy-saving devices, which have saved the Tsuen Wan school as much as $30,000 on their electricity bill over the past year.
The secret of their success was to install a pedal-driven fitness bicycle generator on the roof, as well as 16 solar boards to generate energy for lamps in the corridors.
The devices also won them the innovation award.
At school, the students can only switch on the air conditioners when the temperature reaches 28 degrees Celsius or 26 degrees Celsius with 85 per cent humidity.
Yao Ling Sun also came first in the secondary schools sub-category, followed by St Paul's Convent School. The bronze award was shared by Choi Jun School, CCC Chuen Yuen College, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals' Yow Kam Yuen College and Fanling Lutheran Secondary School.
In the kindergartens & primary schools sub-category, Baptist Rainbow Primary School won gold, while PLK Stanley Ho Sau Nan Primary School got the silver. Tai Po Baptist Kindergarten and Victoria (Belcher) Kindergarten shared third place.
Chinese University snatched the gold in the tertiary institutions sub-category. The silver was shared among University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Institute of Education and the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, while the bronze went to the Institute of Vocational Education (Tuen Mun).
Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao Sau-tung said Hong Kong could tell the world that it was committed and was doing its best to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases with its work on energy efficiency.
According to data provided by the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation, average electricity consumption in Hong Kong was 5,600 units per person.
That compares favourably with the figures of 12,000 units in the United States, 16,000 units in Canada, 7,600 units in Japan and 7,400 units in Singapore. Dr Liao said Hong Kong people have become more aware of the benefits of energy-saving and have been paying more attention to the principle 'Use if required, save if possible'.
