Skip to main content

National Games office established

The Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau announced today the setting up of a co-ordination office to carry out planning and implementation work for the upcoming National Games, National Games for Persons with Disabilities and National Special Olympic Games.   The National Games Coordination Office, led by three senior directorate officers, will work closely with the governments of Guangdong and the Macao Special Administration Region to co-organise the 15th National Games.            The State Council announced in August 2021 that the 15th National Games are to be co-hosted in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau in 2025, the first time Hong Kong will have co-hosted the National Games.   The three locations will also co-host the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games after the 15th National Games are held.        The Hong Kong SAR Organising Committee of the 15th National Games was formed in May, with the Chief Executive a

Scheme helps harvest energy

The Government is actively promoting the development of renewable energy, with schools and welfare non-governmental organisations joining the league to help combat climate change.   Under the Solar Harvest scheme, the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department helps schools and welfare NGOs to install solar energy generation systems at their premises and join the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Scheme free of charge.   Solar Harvest has received an enthusiastic response since its launch in March 2019.   As at April this year, the department received more than 500 applications to join the scheme, with more than 90% coming from schools.   One-stop service The department’s Building Services Engineer Edward Lee said: “Quite a number of premises have the potential to install the solar energy generation system at their rooftop. However, they are unable to kick-start such an arrangement because of their financial and technical concerns.”   To help alleviate those concerns, the department provides non-government and non-profit-making schools, as well as welfare NGOs receiving recurrent subventions from the Social Welfare Department with a one-stop service.   This includes conducting site visits and technical assessments at their premises, drawing up the design of the solar energy generation system, procuring and installing equipment, and conducting system testing.   The department also helps eligible schools and welfare NGOs to join the FiT Scheme of the two power companies.   Under the FiT Scheme, those who install solar photovoltaic or wind power systems at their premises can sell the renewable energy they generate to the power companies at a rate as high as about five times more than the normal electricity tariff rate.   Eco features Po Leung Kuk Choi Kai Yau School completed installing its system in June last year.   Mr Lee explained that on average, each premises with a 10kW solar panel system can generate around 9,000kWh of electricity a year.   “The schools can use the feed-in tariff payment for supporting the on-going operation and maintenance of the system. They can also use such payment for organising some environmental education programmes for the students.”   Other green elements can be incorporated into the installation of the system.   Recyclable aluminium racks were used at the Po Leung Kuk school to support the solar panels, while bricks left over from the school’s renovation work were used to add weight to the racks to prevent them from being blown away in strong winds or typhoons.   For schools without building materials to spare, the department can still provide them with eco-friendly bricks to use.   Green education The department also encourages the schools to integrate the operational theory of the solar energy generation system and the low-carbon lifestyle concept into their teaching.   The Po Leung Kuk school placed potted plants and benches made from eco-friendly materials around its solar panels to provide students with an educational and practical green roof.   The school’s Designated Head Principal Jenny Chong welcomed the scheme.   “We have those solar panels here. We put them in action to show the kids how we can use renewable energy.   “This is a very good programme. Also the work of the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department is fantastic in terms of co-operation and communication. They do really well.”   The department has completed the installation work at about 170 schools and welfare NGOs.   It is estimated that this batch of systems can generate around 1.53 million kWh of electricity each year.   According to a school’s preference and environment, the department can arrange for the solar panels to be installed in creative styles such as in the shape of a heart or to spell out the school’s initials.   The deadline for the new round of applications is July 30. For more details, visit the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department website.
http://dlvr.it/RzLyJm

Popular posts from this blog

Legal officer changes proposed

The Government has proposed to amend the law to allow legal officers of the Department of Justice to be appointed as a senior counsel.   At a media session after attending a Legislative Council meeting today, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng explained the rationale behind the Government's proposal.   She said: “Why is it that my colleagues in the Department of Justice - who by their qualifications are solicitors but are actually arguing very well and very efficiently with great eloquence and efficacy in the Court of Final Appeal - are not being recognised when they are actually even better than their counterparts? That has always been something that sometimes troubles me.   “And for that reason, I have always been thinking about how we are going to overcome that problem.   “Now, what really triggers my determination to take this further forward is when one of our Deputy Directors of Public Prosecutions, Vinci Lam, took silk on May 29.   “That really showed that the form

124 COVID-19 cases reported

The Centre for Health Protection today said it is investigating 124 additional COVID-19 cases. More cases were detected in Kwai Chung Estate. There are also more than 70 preliminary positive cases.   Among the newly reported cases, 33 are related to Kwai Chung Estate, bringing the total number of positive and preliminary positive cases in the estate to 276.   One more positive case was found after an earlier confirmed case occurred at Glory Court, Tsuen Wan Garden, both of them live in units 5 but on two different floors. The centre has co-ordinated with related government departments and conducted an inspection today.    It was preliminarily considered that vertical transmission of virus via pipes is involved.   The centre will issue quarantine orders to residents of unit 5 on all floors of the building who resided there during the incubation period of the relevant cases and transfer them to a quarantine facility.   As it is possible that virus might be ejected from the open

CE to meet Congo president

Chief Executive John Lee will meet Democratic Republic of Congo President FĂ©lix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo at Government House tomorrow, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced today.   The Congo president is in the People’s Republic of China for a state visit and will arrive in Hong Kong for a two-day trip. http://dlvr.it/Spnmcs