Low Carbon Offices: Guide To

GUIDE TO
LOW CARBON OFFICES

Practical Guide on
Carbon Audit and Management
About this Guide
Climate change posed an unprecedented
global challenge for everyone. Hong Kong is
committed to contributing to the solution by taking
community-wide actions to reduce greenhouse gases
(GHG) emissions.
Carbon audit is an effective process to understand

and measure our carbon footprint and a first step to
identify appropriate carbon reduction measures.
Read on if you want to:
• cut your energy bills;
This guide introduces the know-how of carbon audit
and sets out the major steps of conducting a basic • improve your working place;
carbon audit for office-based operations. • meet your stakeholders’
A wide range of measures are also illustrated to expectation; and
facilitate office managers to reduce carbon • contribute to the environment.
emissions and to save operation cost.
Guide to Low Carbon Office

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT
Background
The Paris Agreement adopted in the 21st session of the Conference
of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change is a crucial step in forging global efforts in combating
climate change. 195 countries have agreed to strive for the common This series of Practical Guides on Carbon Audit and Management
goal of holding the increase in the global average temperature to outlines how an organisation can measure and manage its carbon
well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Countries footprint, and provide practical guides and examples for reference
should also strive to achieve carbon neutrality (i.e. no net carbon by the carbon audit practitioners and also the users of buildings and
emissions to the atmosphere) by the second half of this century. facilities. With content tailor-made for nine different types of premises
With the positive outcome of the Paris Agreement, Hong Kong must and facilities, including offices, schools, swimming pools, community
ready itself for making greater efforts to combat climate change and halls, etc, these Guidebooks would stimulate the collaboration across
reduce our carbon emissions. different sectors to drive Hong Kong’s low carbon transformation.
Conducting carbon audit is a common first step of action. It The more that we are aware of our impact, the more prepared we
helps assess the carbon performance and identify room for can contribute to combating climate change. The Environment
emission reduction in an organization. It is a cornerstone for Bureau will continue to facilitate the public and private sectors to
saving energy as well as taking forward other low carbon and work together and to close the gap between awareness and action
green measures. to build a low-carbon economy and a greener future for Hong Kong.

Table of Content
Background
01 Introduction How To Reduce Carbon Emissions 15
05 What is Carbon Audit Case Studies 24
13 Checklist for Conducting Carbon Audit Useful Resources 27

Introduction
In this chapter we explain
what carbon audit is and the
benefits of doing so for office Carbon Audit ?
managers
What is Carbon Audit?

Excessive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions cause climate change. This poses the largest CARBON
DIOXIDE E
(CO2-e) QUIVALEN
threat ever to humankind worldwide. Governments and businesses around the world carry T
It is the un
out a wide array of initiatives to reduce GHG emissions to combat climate change. These it of
CO -e
m e a su re m
ent
include advancing the use of renewable and cleaner energy sources, improving energy w h ic h a
the six typ
ll o w s 2
efficiency and encouraging better energy and carbon management es of
GHG emis
sions gove
Kyoto Pro rned unde
tocol to b r the
Carbon footprint refers to the total GHG emissions caused directly and indirectly by an e compared
a like-for-l on
organisation’s activities. Carbon audit is a scientific means of quantifying an organisation’s ike basis r
It can be de elative to
rived by m C O2.
GHG emissions and a useful starting point for carbon management and reduction. emissions ultiplying
the
of each o
b y it s re sp f the six G
ec ti ve 1 0 HG
warming po 0 -y ea r g lo
tential (GW b al
P).
01 Guide to Low Carbon Office
Carbon Audit in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a service economy with
HK’s GHG Emissions by Sector in 2014*
limited energy-intensive manufacturing.
N e a r l y 7 0 % o f H o n g K o n g ’s G H G
emissions are attributed to electricity
generation. Transport sector comes next
(~16%) and waste constitutes
~5% of total emissions.
70% 90%
Buildings, including commercial buildings, Buildings
account for nearly 90% of electricity Electricity
consumption. If all offices pursue better
HK’s Total GHG Emissions in 2014:
16%
electricity consumption management
and improve energy efficiency, this will
not only cut their energy costs, but also Transport
44,900 kilotonnes CO -e 2
significantly reduce Hong Kong’s overall HK’s Emissions per Capita in 2014:
carbon emissions.
6.2 tonnes CO2-e
Waste and
Others
* Provisional figures subject to revision
The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and
the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
(EMSD) have devised a set of Carbon Audit Guidelines
to facilitate office managers to calculate the GHG
emissions from the operation and to identify areas of
improvement.
Read the Guidelines at :

https://www.climateready.gov.hk/page.php?id=56&lang=1
To lead by example, the Government has: • Launched the Carbon Footprint Repository (CFR) (www.carbon-
footprint.hk/) on 15 December 2014 for listed companies to
• Rolled out energy-cum-carbon audits for more than 120
disclose their carbon footprint. At the launching ceremony
Government buildings and public facilities;
co-organised by the Environment Bureau and the Hong
• Encouraged major Government buildings to carry out regular
Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEx) in Dec 2014,
carbon audit to track the effectiveness of carbon reduction
certificates were presented to listed companies in recognition
efforts;
of their first-mover contributions and efforts in auditing their
• Conducted a “paper approach” carbon audit exercise for more carbon footprints and disclosing their carbon data through the
than 40 major Government buildings in 2016/17; and CFR.

CO2
Reduce Operational Cost Improve Organisation’s Image Demonstrate Corporate Responsibilities
Managing And Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Can Bring About Many Advantages
!
...
Staff Engagement Meet Stakeholders’ Expectation Support Government’s Reduction Target

What is Carbon Audit
In this chapter we explain the major steps of conducting a carbon audit and
the data needs to be collected by the office manager for calculation
The major steps in conducting a carbon audit:
I. Define II. Identify III. Data IV. Apply V. Report

Physical and Emission Collection Emission and
Operational Sources Factors for Disclose
Boundaries Calculation
STEP I. Define Physical and Operational Boundaries

An important first step is to set clear and explicit physical and operational boundaries of your office that is included in the carbon audit
PHYSICAL BOUNDARY OPERATIONAL BOUNDARY

Physical boundary refers to the physical area occupied by the Operational boundary refers to the scope of emissions from activities
organisation which usually matches the site boundaries of the office under your office s operational control. There are 3 scopes (Scope 1,
premises concerned. 2 and 3) in accordance with the Guidelines.

STEP II. Identify Emission Sources
SCOPE 1: DIRECT EMISSIONS AND REMOVALS
Stationary source combustion: Stationary source combustion:

e.g. Towngas heaters e.g. Emergency electricity generators
Mobile source combustion:

5 metres e.g. Organisation’s vehicles
Fugitive emissions from air Newly planted trees that are able
conditioning/refrigeration to reach at least 5 metres in height
systems/fire extinguishers (*Removal Source)
* Based on the emission factor set out in the Guidelines to Account for and Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Buildings (Commercial, Residential or Institutional
Purposes) in Hong Kong published by the Environmental Protection Department in February 2010 (the Carbon Audit Guidelines), 23kg carbon dioxide will be removed by a newly
planted tree that can reach at least 5m in height per year. Newly planted trees referred to those trees planted within the physical boundary of the audited buildings/premises after the
beginning stage of construction of the concerned buildings/premises. Please refer to page 20 of the Carbon Audit Guidelines for details.

SCOPE 2: ENERGY INDIRECT EMISSIONS
GREEN TENANCY
AND GREEN LEASE
The behaviour of office/building

tenants has great impact on
the carbon emissions. Landlords
or property management
Electricity purchased Towngas purchased companies can encourage
tenants to support green
SCOPE 3: OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS (Optional To Include) initiatives through various
approaches, for example:
• Adopt “Pay for use” billing

of air conditioning;
• Sharing of energy use data
with tenants;
• Provide incentives for
tenants to support
Paper waste disposal Fresh water consumption Sewage discharge
environmental practices;
• Setting of joint
environmental improvement
targets;
• Establish targets on the
lease with tenants to
achieve environmental goals
collaboratively.
Overseas business travel Staff travelling Emissions from
rented vehicles

STEP III. Data Collection
Once the emission sources are identified, the office manager should coordinate to collect and collate the following activity data associated
with these sources. Where any data is not available, estimations and assumptions would have to be made.
ACTIVITY DATA TO BE COLLECTED

SCOPE 1 : DIRECT EMISSIONS AND REMOVALS
Fuel consumption receipts/records/meter readings Refrigerant and fire extinguisher purchase,

(e.g. Towngas, diesel oil, LPG or petrol for storage and disposal records
organisation’s fleet
Records of number of trees planted that are able to reach at least

5 metres 5 metres in height within the physical boundary of the office
SCOPE 2 : ENERGY INDIRECT EMISSIONS
Electricity bills/meter readings Towngas bills/meter readings

$ $
SCOPE 3 : OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS
Water bills Paper purchase and Overseas travel records/

recycling records staff transportation data

STEP IV. Apply Emission Factors for Calculation
The carbon footprint (measured in tonnes of CO2-e) is calculated by multiplying the activity data by the respective emission factor and the
global warming potential (GWP) of the respective GHG emitted:
CO2-e = Activity
Data
X Emission
Factor
X Global Warming
Potential
For step-by-step guidance on calculation, please refer to Appendix A: Reporting Table Templates for Carbon Emissions.
EMISSION FACTOR GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL

A factor which identifies the per kilogram carbon dioxide equivalent Global warming potential (GWP) is a quantified measure of the
(CO2-e) arising from a particular activity. globally averaged relative radioactive forcing impacts of a particular
GHG. Carbon dioxide was chosen as the reference gas and its GWP
Most of the emission factors are provided in the Carbon Audit is set to 1.
Guidelines, or available in the latest Annual Reports/Sustainability
Reports of the respective organisations. The GWP of the major GHG covered in the Carbon Audit Guidelines
are:
The emission factor of electricity consumed is available from the
• carbon dioxide (CO2): 1
Sustainability Reports of CLP Group1. or The Hongkong Electric Co.
• methane (CH4): 21
Ltd2, depending on where your office is located
• nitrous oxide (N2O): 310
For example, if the electricity consumption of an office located in
New Territories is 10,000kWh in 2014, the emission factor of CLP in
2014 (i.e. 0.64 kgCO2-e/kWh) should be used. [2014 GHG emission
(tonnes CO2-e): =10,000 kWh (activity data) x 0.64kgCO2-e/kWh 1. Sustainability Reports of CLP Group
(emission factor) x 1 (global warming potential of CO2) = 6.4 tonnes https://www.clpgroup.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-reports
CO2-e] 2. Sustainability Reports of The Hongkong Electric Co. Ltd.
https://www.hkelectric.com/en/corporate-social-responsibility/sustainability-reports

STEP V. Report and Disclose
Communicating your carbon footprint helps engage your defined operational measuring unit, for example, GHG emissions pe
stakeholders (employees, customers and public) and improve your internal floor area (IFA) or GHG emissions per employee are some
organisation’s image. ratio indicators suitable for offices
You can use an appropriate ratio indicator to represent or For more benchmarking references, please refer to Appendix B:
benchmark your normalised carbon footprint in proportion to a Performance Indicator References for Energy Consumption.
Total Carbon Emissions Normalised Total Carbon Emissions
350
(tonnes CO2-e per year) CO2 2.5
(tonnes CO2-e per year per employee)
300 tonnes 2 tonnes

300 2
1.5 tonnes
250
1.5
200 1 tonne
1
150 tonnes
150
100 tonnes 0.5
100
0
50 Office A Office B Office C
0
Office A Office B Office C
CO2 Normalised Total Carbon Emissions
(tonnes CO2-e per year per m2)
100m2 150m2 300m2
m
2.5
50 staff 100 staff 300 staff 2
2
1.5
Examples of other suitable ratio indicators for companies / offices
1 tonne 1 tonne 1 tonne
— tonnes CO2-e per HK$ revenue 1
— tonnes CO2-e per HK$ Earnings Before Interest, Tax,

0.5
Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA)
0
Office A Office B Office C

An audit report may include the following information: SEEK INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION
You can add credibility to your audit report findings
through employing a qualified 3rd party to verify
Methodologies whether the carbon audit process adheres to the

for quantifying principles of relevance, completeness, consistency,
Breakdown
emissions and transparency and accuracy.
of the carbon
removals
emissions in WAYS OF CARBON DISCLOSURE
t
Scope of the physical
tCO2-e
boundary and • C o m m u n i c a t e t h r o u g h a n n u a l r e p o r t ,
CO
operational boundary, sustainability report, or the Environmental,
and reporting period Social and Governance (ESG) report as required
2-
by HKEx
• Submit data to HKSAR Government’s carbon
e
footprint repository (applicable to listed
companies)
List of data Comparison of the carbon emissions of the
• Submit data to international organisation such
sources and reporting year with those of the baseline
as CDP
references year to verify effectiveness of carbon
reduction measures taken
CO2-e
For more details please refer to Appendix C: Sample Carbon Audit Report.

WHAT’S NEXT AFTER CARBON AUDIT? CARBON MANAGEMENT
An office needs good carbon and energy management for continual improvement in carbon reduction. The ISO (the International
Organisation for Standardisation) specifies a Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) management framework to incorporate carbon and energy
management into daily organisation practices.
Carbon Management Framework

PLAN STEP 1 Establishing a Carbon DO STEP 3 Implementing the Carbon
Management Policy Reduction Plan
• Demonstrate the organisational
commitment to carbon management PLAN DO CHECK STEP 4 Conducting Regular Carbon
Audit
• Set objectives and targets for
• Systematic procedures for monitoring
improvement against the baseline
of carbon emissions and the
effectiveness of reduction measures
• Make adjustment when the
STEP 2 Establishing a Carbon organisation is not progressing well
Reduction Plan towards the objectives
• A plan to achieve the targets, which
may include better management
practices, minor hardware ACT ACT
CHECK
STEP 5 Maintaining the Carbon
retrofitting and engineering Reduction Plan
improvement works • Audit findings should be reviewed by
management to ensure the measures
are adequate and effective for continual
improvement
• Communicate reduction success with
stakeholders

Checklist for
Conducting Carbon Audit
The owner and/or operator can complete this checklist to
gauge the readiness of a particular premises/building/facility
for conducting carbon audit.
Yes / No / Not Applicable

FACILITIES INFORMATION (ESSENTIAL INFORMATION)
1 Is the following information/data available?
a) Gross Floor Area, m2
b) No. of occupants
c) Facility layout plan or floor plan to show owned/controllable indoor, outdoor and communal area
SCOPE 1: DIRECT EMISSIONS AND REMOVALS

2 If there is any machine or equipment in the premises operated by fuel, is there any record of the type and
amount of fuel consumed by these machines or equipment for the last 12 months?
3 If there is any vehicle or vessel associated with the operation of the premises, is there any record of the
type and amount of fuel consumed by these vehicles/vessels for the last 12 months?
4 Any record of type (i.e. HFC/PFC) and amount of refrigerants consumed by the air-conditioning/
refrigeration equipment in the premises for the last 12 months?
5 Any record of new trees planted/removed from the premises? (Only apply to trees that can grow taller than
5 m in height)

Yes / No / Not Applicable
SCOPE 2: ENERGY INDIRECT EMISSIONS

6 Any electricity bill of the premises for the last 12 months?
7 Any Towngas bill of the premises for the last 12 months?
8 Optional Information: Any meter installed to measure electricity consumption at different floors/zones?
9 Any purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates from power companies?
10 Any individual electricity consumption record for below electrical appliances?
Air-conditioning Office lighting Office equipment
Escalator Elevator Chiller
11 Any inventory of below equipment?
Office lighting Office equipment Servers
SCOPE 3: OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS (OPTIONAL)

12 Any receipt/record of amount of paper stored, used and recycled in the premises for the last 12 months?
13 Any water bill of the premises for the last 12 months?
14 Any purchase record showing quantity and size of carboys for drinkable water consumption?
Any record of overseas business travel of staff for the last 12 months showing means of transportation,
15
number of trips, origin and destination?
16 Any record of flight carbon offsetting?

How to
Reduce Carbon Emissions
In this chapter we introduce feasible measures and
information that would make carbon reduction and
savings possible for office managers. Many of them
are simple, straightforward actions that won’t cost
you anything.
Reduction Potential Capital Investment Ease of Implementation

Relatively complex transformation
or hardware installation/Involve
Significant Significant or long term
many stakeholders/Implement upon
“end of life” of existing installations
Need careful planning before

Moderate Moderate implement due to potential
impact to operation
Ready-to-implement
Minor Minor housekeeping measures which
cause no disruption to operation
Nil No Cost

Carbon Reduction Initiatives to Nil to to

Lighting System
• Switch off lighting when rooms are not in use Nil
• Maximise use of natural light as far as practicable Nil

• Keep light fixtures and lamps clean to maximise their
Nil
efficiency
• Use mirror reflectors to redirect most of the light emitted
towards the area to be illuminated
• Separate light switches for different light zones
• Use electronic ballasts to replace electromagnetic ballasts

• Use quasi-electronic ballasts (QEB) that works with the
original electromagnetic ballast to light up the existing T8
fluorescent tube, while avoiding the operational constraints
of replacing the luminaries
• Install motion sensors in areas not frequently used
• Install dimmers where possible to adjust light intensity

• De-lamping for the areas with higher-than-required lighting
Nil
level
• Adopt energy efficient lighting (e.g. T5 fluorescent lamps
and LED)
It is a misunderstanding
An office of a garment manufacturing that turning lights off and
company has saved HK$34,000 in a year by A T5 with electronic
ballast saves 30% then back on uses more
replacing existing halogen lamps with LED, energy than leaving them
and the payback period is as short as 2 years. of CO2 compared
with a T8 fitted with on all the time.
electromagnetic ballast.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System

• Avoid installing air-conditioners with direct sunlight exposure Nil
• Establish a policy for optimal use of air-conditioners Nil
• Clean the filters/fan coil units regularly
• Place weather strips on doors and windows to prevent
leakage of conditioned air
• Carry out regular leakage checks and replacement of
pressure gauges, pressure hose and connectors of air
compressors to reduce possible leakage of refrigerants
• Set the air conditioning systems at a minimum of
Nil
25.5 degrees Celsius
• Switch off air-conditioning when rooms are not in use Nil
• Apply anti-ultraviolet films on windows to reduce heat gain
• Use low-e glass to block heat-generating ultraviolet light

• Use variable speed drives to vary the flow of pump and fan
systems according to the actual air-conditioning demand
• Use Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) to optimise refrigerant
flow
• Adopt Central Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) or
Building Management System (BMS)
• Use split-type air conditioners with Grade 1 Energy
Efficiency Label
• Adopt water-cooled air conditioning systems


Paper Consumption
• Reuse paper or use paper on both sides, wherever possible Nil
• Set the computers and printers to default duplex and
Nil
economical modes
• Disseminate information by electronic means wherever
Nil
possible to reduce paper use
• Use smaller fonts and line spacing for documents that must
Nil
be printed
• Use e-fax to screen junk fax Nil
• Monitor printing volume regularly and set print quota for

Nil
users as far as practicable
• Purchase printing paper, toilet paper and paper towels with
recycled content
• Use electronic systems to substitute paper-based
office administration systems
A Grade 1 air conditioner saves Wait at least 3 minutes before

up to 29% of energy and CO2 restarting air conditioners
Solar reflective window
comparing to a Grade 5 model. after switch-off to allow
curtains can save
Up to $480 in electricity cost can refrigerant pressure to
between 4-5% of
be saved per year. equalise before restarting.
annual air conditioning
electricity costs.


Water Consumption
• Fix dripping taps immediately Nil
• Reduce water pressure to the lowest practical level Nil
• Recycle and reuse grey water for cleaning and irrigation Nil
• Carry out regular leakage tests on concealed piping and
check for overflowing tank
• Use products with Grade 1 Water Efficiency Labels, such as
showers, water taps, washing machines, urinal equipment
and flow controllers.
• Use dual-flush toilets
• Use faucets and urinals with infrared sensors
• Install automatic sensor water taps

Waste Generation
• Provide more recycling bins and facilities
• Reduce use of disposable and non-recyclable products
• Use recycled toner/ink cartridges
• Evaluate the usage of material to avoid overstock
An office has adopted an

Using an electric fan with the
e-procurement system, which helps Use water-saving
air conditioner can achieve
saving up to 30 printing pages per throttles can
better cooling effect in an
transaction, and reducing CO2 reduce water
energy efficient way.
emissions by 35 kg annually. savings by 20%.


Company Vehicle
• Keep company fleet properly tuned: inefficient car will use
Nil
more fuel and emit more pollutants
• Maintain correct tyre pressure by regular inspection and
Nil
inflation
• Ensure no idling vehicles with running engines Nil
• Offer low carbon driving training sessions (e.g. avoid sudden

acceleration) to drivers
• Adopt electric or hybrid vehicles
Staff Commuting
• Encourage use of public transportation Nil
• Encourage car pool among staff Nil

Staff Engagement
• Encourage staff to join environmental activities organised by
Nil
green groups
• Select “low carbon menu” or low-carbon ingredients for
Nil
corporate entertainment
• Encourage the use of staircase instead of taking the lift Nil
• Offer regular environmental training sessions to colleagues
A company has reduced fuel Standby power accounts up to 10% total

consumption by 20% through electricity use in commercial sector, which
adopting environmentally constitutes for 1% of global CO2
friendly vehicles with better emissions. Switch off or plug off after use.
20 Guide to Low Carbon Office efficiency.

Printing Equipment
• Use timer or switch off printers completely during non-
operating hours
• Deploy “pull printing” solutions, which allow employees to
print documents on any multifunction devices (MFD) in the
workgroup and ensure the document is only released for
printing when the staff has authenticated themselves at the
device. This helps reduce the proportion of printout never
being collected by the user who initiated the printing
• Use energy efficient MFDs to reduce stand-alone printers/
copiers
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Equipment
• Set the computers to automatic standby/sleeping mode
Nil
when idling
• Switch off ICT equipment completely during non-operating
Nil
hours
• Adopt sub-metering systems to monitor energy end use
of server system
• Install Wi-Fi loggers to monitor the temperature and
humidity in the data centre
A MFD with Energy Label An office of a property consulting A data centre has adopted
can reduce the annual company has saved >50% of hardware energy-efficient immersion
electricity at inactive stage maintenance cost and >30% of toner cooling, which helps
by about 50%. cartridge consumption by replacing avoid 4,200 tonnes of CO2
individual printers with MFD. annually.


Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Equipment
• Use a higher supply temperature of chilled water (12.8
degree Celsius or higher) to improve the efficiency of the Nil
chiller plant for cooling the data centre
• Consolidate servers into one single server with higher

capacity to reduce energy consumption and spacing need
• Arrange server racks in “hot” and “cold” aisles configuration

to prevent hot and cold air from mixing, and hence improve
cooling efficiency of the data cent e.
• Purchase ICT appliances which meet the Energy Efficiency
Label requirements of the Electrical and Mechanical Services
Department (EMSD)
• Adopt computer equipment virtualisation to reduce energy

consumption and hardware installation. For example,
through Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) or Platform as a
Service (PaaS) via cloud computing, computer infrastructure
or computing solution platform are offered as a service
package and users do not need to purchase hardware/
software resources
• Adopt water cooled racks to cool servers and appliances

instead of using air cooling

Business Travel
• Choose direct flights for unavoidable business tri
• Use video conferencing for online presentations and

conferences to substitute unnecessary overseas business
travel
Event Organisation and Management
• Organise events at locations easily accessible by public
Nil
transportation
• For catering, select low carbon food ingredients or locally
Nil
grown/produced food to reduce food mileage
• Avoid use of disposable utensils in events Nil
• Minimise product packaging Nil
• Optimise route planning for transportation and goods

Nil
delivery
An office of an import & export An office has reduced 11%

company has saved 5 tonnes of Bigger does not mean better. of annual energy
CO2 and HK$10,000 per month An oversized air conditioner consumption by adopting
by implementing a is less energy efficient, more an ISO 50001 Energy
management policy to switch expensive and have a shorter Management System.
off the chiller plants after 9pm. lifespan due to constant
starting and stopping.


Renewable Energy Demonstration
• Install sunlight tracking bulbs to transmit solar energy to
support the lighting of space
• Install solar panels on roof top or thin film transparent
type solar cells on windows
• Install vertical or horizontal wind turbines for generating
electrical energy
• Purchase Renewable Energy Certificates

C O2-
e Case Studies of Carbon Reduction
Initiatives adopted in Government Buildings and
Public Facilities
Case Study 1: Case Study 2: Case Study 3:

Service-on-demand escalator Variable speed drive High efficiency type air-cooled chillers
Installation of service-on-demand escalators in the Adoption of variable speed drive (VSD) in Heating, Replacement of existing air-cooled chillers by
building, including both automatic start/stop and Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system high efficiency type ai -cooled chillers
two-speed controls
Energy Saving: Energy Saving: Energy Saving:
Up to 52% and 14% energy saving for the Around 5% of total energy saving of the premises Around 20% of total energy saving of the premises
automatic start/stop and two-speed controls depends on the operational characteristics.* depends on the operational characteristics.*
escalators respectively.*
VSD installed in High efficiency

HVAC system air-cooled chiller
Service-on-demand escalators
with passenger sensing post
* Variation of energy saving level depends on the size and operational characteristics of the premises.

CO2-e Case Studies
In this chapter we highlight
exemplary practices of
carbon management in the
Government/private sector
1. EMSD Headquarters
Profile
• The new EMSD Headquarters Building at Kowloon Bay opened in 2005
• The building exhibited an excellent showcase of sustainable development through renovating the structure of a
former air cargo terminal building into an office-cum-workshop building with environmentally friendly design and
application of advanced energy efficient technologie
Major Features
• Solar photovoltaic panel system comprising over 2,300 number of photovoltaic panels on rooftop capable of
generating 350kW peak renewable power
• Other renewable installations include building integrated photovoltaic panel, sun tracking photovoltaic system,
solar hot water system and solar lamp pole
• Maximise the use of natural daylight including adoption of sun pipes to illuminate building internal areas
• One of the pioneers to use high energy efficiency oil-free chiller to reduce energy consumption in air-conditioning
• Setting up of green walls in building internal and external for environmental improvement
• Recycle rainwater and waste water by rainwater harvesting system and grey water recycling system for irrigation
and toilet flushin

Corporate Logo - 2 Colour Duotone Version
2. Office of SOCAM Development Limited

Profile
• An awardee of the Carbon Reduction Certificate (Type II – Office-based organisations/operational units within
Hong Kong) of the Hong Kong Green Organisation Certification
• Achieved a remarkable 16% of reduction of absolute carbon dioxide in 2013 comparing with the baseline of 2012
Pantone Warm Red C Key Initiatives

90% Process Black Date: 27-10-2011
• Wise use of natural light and extensive application of LED, T5 or compact fluorescent lamp with energy label
• Establishment of clear light zoning and application of light sensor in rarely accessed areas
• Effective communication with property management office to optimise use of central air-conditioning system and
temperature
• Adoption of multi-function devices (with printing, scanning, photo-copy, fax) to substitute individuals devices
• Extensive use of electronic information system and channels to reduce paper use
• Use of video conferencing equipment to reduce business trips
• A special task force has been established to support the green manager to improve the environmental
management of the office operation
• Green tips were regularly delivered through signage, posters, emails, bulletin boards, newsletter and intranet
Conserving our office s resources

for a sustainable future for all.
Tam Chi Piu

CSR Environmental Subgroup Secretary

Useful
Resources
A. General References (in alphabetical order)
• Carbon Audit Toolkit for Small and Medium Enterprises in Hong Kong
http://www6.cityu.edu.hk/aerc/sme/images/sme_eng.pdf
• Carbon Reduction Certificates Scheme of Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE)
http://www.hkaee.gov.hk/english/category/carbonless_cert/28.html
• ISO 14064-1:2006 Greenhouse gases — Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organisation level for quantification and
reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals
http://www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=38381
• Greenhouse gas emissions and carbon intensity

https://www.climateready.gov.hk/files/pdf/HKGHG_CarbonIntensity_201612.pdf
• Greenhouse gas emissions by sector

https://www.climateready.gov.hk/files/pdf/HKGHG_Sectors_201612.pdf
• Greenhouse gas emission trend

https://www.climateready.gov.hk/files/pdf/HKGHG_Trend_201612.pdf

• Guidelines to Account for And Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Buildings in Hong Kong
https://www.climateready.gov.hk/page.php?id=56&lang=1
• HK EE Net
http://ee.emsd.gov.hk/eindex.html
• The GHG Protocol — Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard

http://www.ghgprotocol.org
B. Office Specific References (in alphabetical order)
• Carbon Trust — Creating an Awareness Campaign Guide

https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/energy-efficiency/c eating-an-awareness-campaign-download/
• Low-carbon Office Operation Programme of WWF-Hong Kong CO2-e

https://loop.wwf.org.hk
C. Carbon Calculators
There is a wide range of calculators available which help individuals and organisations to measure their carbon footprints.
These calculators also provide useful information about carbon reduction. Some examples (in alphabetical order) are provided
below:
For general use internationally

• Calculation Tools — The Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative
http://www.ghgprotocol.org/calculation-tools

For local household and personal use
• Carbon Calculator — Hong Kong And China Gas Company Limited
http://www.lowcarbonaction.com/en/footprint.aspx
For local household

• Carbon Calculator — The Hongkong Electric Co. Ltd
https://www.hkelectric.com/en/customer-services/carbon-calculator
For local household, retail, catering, school and office

• Carbon Manager — The Council for Sustainable Development
http://carbon-manager.hkpc.org/website/eng/index.asp
For local enterprises, especially SMEs

• CGCC-Carbon Management Tool — The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce
http://cmt.cgcc.org.hk/eng/home.html
For local household and personal use

• One Tonne Challenge Calculator — Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) Corporation
http://www.climatechange.hk/eng/join-now.aspx
For buildings of commercial, residential or institutional purposes

• Electronic version (Excel) of template for conducting carbon audit and for reporting the findings
https://www.carbon-footprint.hk/node/52

Reporting Table Templates for Carbon Emissions Appendix A
An electronic version of this reporting template is available from EPD’s Carbon Footprint Repository (CFR) Website:
https://www.carbon-footprint.hk/node/52
The electronic version has built in all the emission factors and formulas for calculating GHG emissions arising from different sources, and that EPD will review and update the relevant
emission factors used in this electronic version on a regular basis.
Table 1: GHG Emissions from Stationary Sources
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8

A B C D E F G H I J
Source description Fuel Information CO2 emission factor CO2 emissions in CH4 emission CH4 emissions in N2O emission factor N2O emissions in
with location Fuel used Fuel type Note 2
tonnes of CO2 factor Note 3 tonnes of CO2 Note 3
tonnes of CO2
Note 2
(e.g. boilers, furnaces, Amount Unit equivalent equivalent equivalent
ovens and emergency Note 1 ((BxE)/1000) ((BxG)/(1000x1000) x ((BxI)/(1000x1000) x
electricity generator GWP Note 4) GWP Note 4)
etc.)
Total
Please insert more rows as necessary
IMPORTANT: Combustion of Towngas from stationary sources should also be reported in Table 1 (refer to Tables 1-1 to 1-3 for the emission factors) as it falls into the
category of direct emissions. Indirect emission of purchased Towngas should be calculated in Table 5.
Note 1: Select the appropriate fuel unit
Note 2: Select the appropriate fuel type and the corresponding emission factor (from Table 1-1) for calculation
Note 3: Refer to Table 1-2 for calculating CH4 emissions and Table 1-3 for N2O emissions.
Note 4: Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CH4 is 21 while it is 310 for N2O

Emission Factors for Stationary Combustion Sources
Table 1-1 CO2 Emission Factor by fuel type
Fuel Type Emission Factor Unit

Diesel Oil 2.614 kg/litre
LPG 3.017 kg/kg
Kerosene 2.429 kg/litre
Charcoal 2.970 kg/kg
Towngas 2.549 kg/Unit
Table 1-2 CH4 Emission Factor by fuel type

Diesel Oil 0.0239 g/litre
LPG 0.0020 g/kg
Kerosene 0.0241 g/litre
Charcoal 5.5290 g/kg
Towngas 0.0446 g/Unit
Table 1-3 N2O Emission Factor by fuel type

Diesel Oil 0.0074 g/litre
LPG 0.0000 g/kg
Charcoal 0.0276 g/kg
Towngas 0.0099 g/Unit
* For the most updated figures, please refer to https://www.climateready.gov.hk/page.php?id=56&lang=1

Table 2: GHG Emissions from the Mobile Sources
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8

A B C D E F G H I
Source description Fuel Information CO2 emission factor CO2 emissions in CH4 emission CH4 emissions in N2O emission N2O emissions in
(by different vehicle Note 1
tonnes of CO2 factor Note 2 tonnes of CO2 factor Note 3 tonnes of CO2
and fuel types) Amount of fuel Fuel type equivalent equivalent equivalent
used ((BxD)/1000) ((BxF)/(1000x1000) x ((BxH)/(1000x1000) x
(in litres) GWP Note 4) GWP Note 4)
Road Transport
Navigation
Aviation
Total
Notes for GHG Emissions from Mobile Source

Note 1: Refer to Table 2-1 for CO2 emission factors for different vehicle and fuel type.
Note 2: Refer to Table 2-2 for CH4 emission factors for different vehicle and fuel type.
Note 3: Refer to Table 2-3 for N2O emission factors for different vehicle and fuel type.
Note 4: Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CH4 is 21 while it is 310 for N2O.

Emission Factors for Mobile Combustion Sources
Table 2-1 CO2 Emission Factor Table 2-3 N2O Emission Factor
Fuel Type Emission Factor Unit Vehicle Type Fuel Type Emission Factor Unit
Diesel Oil (DO) 2.614 kg/litre Motorcycle ULP 0.046 g/litre
Unleaded Petrol (ULP) 2.360 kg/litre Passenger Car ULP 1.105 g/litre
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) 1.679 kg/litre DO 0.110 g/litre
3.017 kg/kg Private Van ULP 1.140 g/litre
Gas Oil (For Ships only) 2.645 kg/litre DO 0.506 g/litre
Kerosene (Including Jet Kerosene) 2.429 kg/litre LPG 0.000 g/litre
Table 2-2 CH4 Emission factor Public Light Bus DO 0.506 g/litre
LPG 0.000 g/litre
Vehicle Type Fuel Type Emission Factor Unit Light Goods Vehicle ULP 1.105 g/litre
Motorcycle ULP 1.422 g/litre DO 0.506 g/litre
Passenger Car ULP 0.253 g/litre Heavy Goods Vehicle DO 0.072 g/litre
DO 0.072 g/litre Medium Goods Vehicle DO 0.072 g/litre
Private Van ULP 0.203 g/litre Ships Gas Oil 1.095 g/litre
DO 0.072 g/litre Aviation Jet Kerosene 0.000 g/litre
LPG 0.248 g/litre Other Mobile Machinery DO 0.007 g/litre
Public Light Bus DO 0.072 g/litre LPG 0.0000 g/litre or g/kg
LPG 0.248 g/litre Kerosene 0.0076 g/litre
Light Goods Vehicle ULP 0.203 g/litre
DO 0.072 g/litre
Heavy Goods Vehicle DO 0.145 g/litre
Medium Goods Vehicle DO 0.145 g/litre
Ships Gas Oil 0.146 g/litre
Aviation Jet Kerosene 0.069 g/litre
Other Mobile Machinery DO 0.0239 g/litre
LPG 0.0036 g/litre
0.006 g/kg

Table 3: GHG Emissions (HFC and PFC) arising from Refrigeration/Air-conditioning Equipment (Operating Process)
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7

A B C D E F G
Type of refrigerant Note 1 Amount of refrigerant Amount of refrigerant Amount of refrigerant Amount of refrigerant at GWP of refrigerant Note 2 GHG emissions (HFC and
at the beginning of the purchased during the disposed (through the end of the reporting PFC) in tonnes of CO2
reporting period (kg) reporting period (kg) environmentally period (kg) equivalent
responsible means) during ((B + C – D – E) x F/1000)
the reporting period (kg)
Total
Please insert more rows as necessary.
Note 1: Enter the type of refrigerant of the equipment

Note 2: Refer to Table 3-1 for the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the corresponding refrigerant

Table 3-1 Global Warming Potentials (GWP) of Common Refrigeration/Air-Conditioning Refrigerants Note 1
Gas or Blend GWP Information Gas or Blend GWP Information Gas or Blend GWP Information
Source Note 2 Source Note 2 Source Note 2
HFC-23 11,700 A R-407C 1,526 B R-418A 4 B
HFC-32 650 A R-407D 1,428 B R-419A 2,403 B
HFC-125 2,800 A R-407E 1,363 B R-420A 1,144 B
HFC-134a 1,300 A R-408A 1,944 B R-500 37 B
HFC-143a 3,800 A R-409A 0 B R-501 0 B
HFC-152a 140 A R-409B 0 B R-502 0 B
HFC-236fa 6,300 A R-410A 1,725 B R-503 4,692 B
R-401A 18 B R-410B 1,833 B R-504 313 B
R-401B 15 B R-411A 15 B R-505 0 B
R-401C 21 B R-411B 4 B R-506 0 B
R-402A 1,680 B R-412A 350 B R-507 or R-507A 3,300 B
R-402B 1,064 B R-413A 1,774 B R-508A 10,175 B
R-403A 1,400 B R-414A 0 B R-508B 10,350 B
R-403B 2,730 B R-414B 0 B R-509 or R-509A 3,920 B
R-404A 3,260 B R-415A 25 B PFC-116(C2F6) 9,200 A
R-406A 0 B R-415B 105 B PFC-14(CF4) 6,500 A
R-407A 1,770 B R-416A 767 B
R-407B 2,285 B R-417A 1,955 B
Note 1: Refrigerants, with components other than HFCs and PFCs, have been well-recognised to have effects on our climate systems. Nevertheless, the Guidelines only cover those
which are in the group of Kyoto protocol recognised gases (CO2, CH4, HFC, PFC, SF6 and N2O). Hence, in the Guidelines, GWPs of all refrigerants other than HFCs and PFCs are
considered to be zero.
Note 2: Information sources:

A: IPCC Second Assessment Report (1995)
B: “World Resources Institute (2005), Calculating HFC and PFC Emissions from the Manufacturing, Installation, Operation and Disposal of Refrigeration & Air-conditioning
Equipment (Version 1.0) – Guide to calculation worksheets, World Business Council for Sustainable Development”, in which the latter states that the source of reference is
from ASHRAE Standard 34.

Table 4: Direct GHG Removals from Newly Planted Trees
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

A B C D E
Source description (Location of the No. of trees planted Note 1 (unit) No. of trees removed Note 1 (unit) CO2 removal factor Note 2 CO2 removals in tonnes of CO2
trees planted) (kg/unit/year) equivalent
((B-C) x D/1000)
23
Total
Note 1: Please input the no. of trees planted, and no. of trees removed which are able to reach at least 5m after the beginning stage of construction.
Note 2: The default figure for the removal potential of each unit of tree is suggested based on Hong Kong’s location, woodland types, and estimated density of trees. The figure
applicable to all trees commonly found in Hong Kong which are able to reach at least 5 metres in height after the beginning stage of construction.
is

Table 5: GHG Emissions from Electricity Purchased from Power Companies
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5
A B C Note1 D Note2
E
Facility/source description Amount of electricity as Amount of electricity Emission factor * Indirect GHG emissions in tonnes of CO2 equivalent
(i.e. Area/facilities the shown in electricity bill produced by renewable (kg/kWh) ((B-C)xD/1000)
electricity bill is reporting) (in kWh) energy (RE) sources as
Power company – specific Territory-wide Power company – specific Territory-wide
shown in RE Certificate
default value default value
(in kWh)
Total
Note 1: RE certificates are sold by the power companies for electricity generated by RE sources such that buyers can claim that their operations help reduce carbon emissions. These
Certificates also represent the units of RE purchased by buyers.
Note 2: The reporting entity is required to account for GHG emissions associated with the electricity purchased in Hong Kong based on two emission factors. First, the reporting entity
will quantify the emissions based on a territory-wide default value of 0.7kg/kWh. Second, the reporting entity will quantify the emissions based on specific emission factors
provided by its respective provider of electricity. In case that the specific emission factor for the reporting period is not available at the time of accounting, the latest specific
emission factor from the power company may be used as an approximation. These specific emission factors are available from the power companies’ websites. For reference,
the table below indicates the emission factors of the two power companies in Hong Kong for the past 7 years.
GHG Emission Factor for Different Power Companies in Hong Kong (in kg CO2-e/kWh)
Power Company 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
CLP# 0.56 0.54 0.59 0.58 0.63 0.64 0.54
HEC* 0.84 0.79 0.79 0.79 0.78 0.79 0.78
#
Emission factors for CLP were derived from information in CLP Group’s Sustainability Report.
*
Emission factors for HEC were derived from information in HEC’s Sustainability Report.

Table 6: GHG Emissions from Towngas Purchased from the Hong Kong and China Gas Company (Towngas)
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4

A B C D
Facility/source description Amount of Towngas purchased Emission factor Indirect GHG emissions in tonnes of CO2
(i.e. Area/facilities the Towngas bill is (Unit Note) (kg/Unit) equivalent
reporting) (B x C/1000)
Total
Note: Each unit registered by gas meter represents that the town gas with a heat value of 48 MJ. Based on the information from the Hong Kong and China Gas Company, the emission
factors for the past three years were derived as below. This factor only accounts for the emissions during the production of Towngas within the company. Reporting entity should
report in Table 1 as well the GHG emissions associated with combustion of Towngas within the physical boundary under Scope 1.
In case that the emission factor for the reporting period is not available at the time of accounting, the latest emission factor from the Towngas company may be used as an
approximation.
GHG Emission Factor (in kg CO2-e/Unit of Towngas purchased)

Year 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Emission Factor 0.628 0.620 0.618 0.610 0.620 0.600 0.605

Table 7: Methane Generation at Landfill in Hong Kong due to Disposal of Paper Waste
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7

A B C D E F G
Source description Amount of paper in Amount of paper Amount of paper collected Amount of paper in Emission factor (kg CO2-e/ Indirect emissions in
(i.e. Area/floor storage at the beginning purchased during the for recycling during the storage at the end of the kg of waste) Note tonnes of CO2 equivalent
of the reporting period reporting period (kg) reporting period (kg) reporting period (kg) ((B + C - D - E) x F/1000)
(kg)
4.8
Total
Please insert more rows as necessary.
Note: For simplifying the accounting process, the default emission factor assumes that the total raw amount of CH4 emitted throughout the whole decomposition process of the
paper waste disposed at landfills will be emitted into the atmosphere within the same reporting period as paper waste collected. In addition, the default value does not take into
account the reduction in emission due to collection, recovery and utilisation of landfill gas due to the management practices at landfill

Table 8: GHG Emissions due to Electricity Used for Fresh Water Processing by Water Supplies Department

A B C D
Source description Amount of water consumed as listed on the Emission factor Emissions in tonnes of CO2 equivalent
(i.e. Area/facilities the water service bill is water service bill (m3) (kg/m3) Note (B x C/1000)
reporting)
Total
Note: Emission factor of GHG emissions due to electricity used for processing fresh water = Unit electricity consumption of fresh water (from WSD) x Territory-wide default value (i.e.
0.7kg/kWh) of purchased electricity provided in Table 5.
In case that the unit electricity consumption for processing fresh water for the reporting period is not available at the time of accounting, the latest emission factor from table
below may be used as an approximation.
GHG Emission Factor (in kg CO2-e/m3)

Year 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Emission Factor 0.410 0.415 0.440 0.414 0.402 0.407

Table 9: GHG Emissions due to Electricity Used for Sewage Processing by Drainage Services Department

A B C D
Source description Fresh water consumption (m3) Default Emission Factor (kg/m3) Note Emissions in tonnes CO2 equivalent
(i.e. Area/facilities the water service bill is (B x C/1000)
reporting)
Total
Note: The default emission factor is determined according to the purpose of water used as follows:
Source description Default Emission Factor (kg/m3)

Restaurants and catering services (0.7 x Emission Factor) assuming 70% of the fresh water
consumed will enter the sewage system.
Other commercial, residential and institutional purposes (1.0 x Emission Factor) assuming 100% of the fresh
water consumed will enter the sewage system.
In which emission factor is the emission factor of GHG emissions due to electricity used for processing fresh water derived from the following equation
Emission Factor = Unit electricity consumption of processing sewage (from DSD) x Territory-wide default value (i.e. 0.7kg/kWh) of purchased electricity provided in Table 5
In case that the unit electricity consumption for processing sewage for the reporting period is not available at the time of accounting, the latest emission factor from table below
may be used as an approximation.
GHG Emission Factor (in kg CO2-e/m3)

Year 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15
Emission Factor 0.172 0.170 0.170 0.167 0.169 0.181

Performance Indicator References for Energy Consumption Appendix B
Reference Benchmark for Energy Utilisation Index of Commercial Sector
Principal Group 1 – Restaurant and Retail
ANNUAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION PER AREA(2)

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B1: Chinese Restaurant 4636
B2: Non-Chinese Restaurant 4060
B3: Fast Food Shop 6622
B4: Bar 1536
B5: Other Eating and Drinking Place 5729
B6: Arcade/Basement/Upper Floor Shop 1479
B7: Street Front/Ground Floor Shop 1778
Principal Group 2 – Accommodation

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B8: Hotel 898
B9: Guest House 1326
B10: Home for the Aged 1872
B11: Service Apartment 702

Principal Group 3 – Hospital and Clinic

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B12: Hospital 1131
B13: Clinic 1709
B14: Private Dental Clinic 379
B15: Medical Laboratory 639
Principal Group 4 – Educational Services

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B16: University 752
B17: Post-secondary College 185
B18: Adult Education/Tutorial/Vocational Course 630
B19: Secondary School 214
B20: Primary School 186
B21: Kindergarten 427
B22: Special Education School 120

Principal Group 5 – Warehouse

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B23: Refrigerated Warehouse 1282
B24: Non-refrigerated Warehouse 85
Principal Group 6 – Office Flatted Factory

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B25: Office Flatted Factor 518
Principal Group 7 – Central Services for Shopping Arcade

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B26: Central Services for Shopping Arcade 2302

Principal Group 8 – Private Office

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B27: Central services for building (multiple tenants) 476
with central air-conditioning supply for tenants
B28: Central services for building (multiple tenants) 155
without central air-conditioning supply for tenants
Principal Group 9 – Government Office

SUBGROUP(1)
(MJ/M2/ANNUM)
B32: Whole building (multiple users) 985
Note:
(1) Definition of each subgroup can be refer to http://ecib.emsd.gov.hk/en/glossary_cmc.htm

(2) Stakeholders are encouraged to consider these energy utilisation indexes as one way, but not the only way, of improving their energy performance
with respect to the past. Comparisons of indicators between business operations within the same sector should be made with caution. Businesses in
the same subgroup may be operating under different economic, environmental and operational constraints, causing different energy performance. The
business processes in different business subgroups are inherently varied resulting in different achievable energy performance levels. The energy utilisation
indexes are derived from studies on a limited size of samples within the population of respective energy-consuming groups. These indicators should not
be construed as representative energy consumption levels of the population, nor as territory-wide standards which businesses in the respective energy-
consuming groups should comply with.
Source: EMSD’s Energy Utilisation Indexes and Benchmarks for Residential, Commercial and Transport Sectors
http://ecib.emsd.gov.hk/en/index.htm

Sample Carbon Audit Report Appendix C
1. Name of the reporting entity: e.g. XYZ Office Building
2. Description of the reporting entity:

Some possible descriptions are:
(a) Building management with a single responsible occupier;
(b) Building management with all end-users;
(c) Building management with some of the end-users (with details of the end-users participated);
(d) Building management only of a building of multiple responsible occupiers; and
(e) Others (with full details).
e.g. XYZ Office Building is the headquarters of XYZ Co. Ltd. The daily building management duty is borne by Administration Division.
3. The reporting period (with start and end dates): e.g. 1st Jan 2014 to 31st Dec 2014
4. Scope of physical boundary chosen

(a) Location of the building(s): e.g. XYZ Street, Hong Kong
(b) Description of the purpose of the building(s) or physical boundary chosen:
e.g. Area to be reported is the total indoor and outdoor areas from the ground floor to the roof of XYZ Office Buildings

(c) Building Information:
Building Name e.g. XYZ Office Building

Address e.g. XYZ Street, Hong Kong
Gross Floor Area e.g. 10,000 m2
Number of Floor e.g. 6 (G/F, 1-5/F)
Year Build e.g. 1984
Number of staff e.g. 300 full time employees
Floor Usage e.g. All areas, excluding plant room, carparks and
server rooms, operate from Monday to Friday except
Public Holidays
(d) Description of areas excluded in the audit: e.g. Commercial tenants in G/F are excluded from this carbon audit.
5. Scope of operational boundary chosen

(a) Description of Scope 1 activities included and excluded:
e.g. Testing of emergency generator, mobile sources, GHG removal by tree planting, fugitive emissions;
(b) Description of Scope 2 activities included and excluded:
e.g. Consumption by purchased electricity;
(c) Description of Scope 3 activities included:
e.g. Paper waste disposed at landfills, consumption of fresh water, treatment of wastewater

6. Methodologies
(a) List of activities for which simplified methodologies and conversion factors in the Guidelines are used for quantification
(b) Details (including necessary reference) of other methodologies and conversion factors used for quantification
(c) Details of any changes in methodologies and conversion factors since the last report
(d) Details on any re-calculation of previously reported emissions and removals because of changes in methodologies and
conversion factors
e.g. The reporting and working procedures for calculating GHG emissions and removals as detailed in the “Guidelines to Account for
and Report on Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Building(Commercial, Residential or Institutional Purposes) in Hong Kong
– 2010 Edition” compiled by EPD and EMSD were adopted.
7. Conclusion
Information on GHG emissions and removals for e.g. XYZ Office Building
Reporting Period: e.g. 01/01/2014 – 31/12/2014
Emissions by Gas Type (in tonnes of CO2-equivalent)

Scope of Emissions Carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide Hydrofluo o- Perfluo o-
(CO2) Methane (CH4) (N2O) Carbons (HFCs) Carbons (PFCs) Total
Scope 1 Direct Emissions
Stationary Combustion Sources
Internal Combustion Engines 1.438 0.00028 0.00126 N/A N/A 1.440
Mobile Combustion Sources
Road Transport 32.914 0.066 4.860 N/A N/A 37.840
Fugitive Emissions
Refrigeration N/A N/A N/A 0 0 0
Scope 1 Emissions Total 34.352 0.06628 4.86126 0 0 39.280
Scope 1 Direct Removal
Planting of Additional Trees 0.759 N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.759
Scope 1 Removals Total 0.759 0 0 0 0 0.759

Emissions by Gas Type (in tonnes of CO2-equivalent)
Scope of Emissions Carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide Hydrofluo o- Perfluo o-
(CO2) Methane (CH4) (N2O) Carbons (HFCs) Carbons (PFCs) Total
Scope 2 Energy Indirect Emissions
Electricity Purchased 2,235.634
Note A
Towngas Purchased 0
Scope 2 Emissions Total 2,235.634
Scope 3 Other Indirect Emissions
Methane Generation at Landfill due to N/A 26.803 N/A N/A N/A 26.803
Disposal of Paper Waste
Electricity for Processing Fresh Water 1.965
Electricity for Processing Sewage 0.883
Scope 3 Emissions Total N/A 26.803 N/A N/A N/A 29.651
Other GHG Offsets/Removals 0 0 0 0 0 0
Net Emissions Total (Scope 1 Emissions – – – – – 2,303.806
Total + Scope 2 Emissions Total + Scope 3
Emissions Total – Scope 1 Removals Total –
Other GHG Offsets/Removals)
(Note A: The emissions based on territory-wide default value is e.g. 2,235.634, while the emissions based on CLP emission factor is e.g. 2,044.008.)

Summary of Results
Total Scope 1 Emissions : e.g. 39.280 Tonnes of CO2 Equivalent

Total Scope 1 Removals : e.g. 0.759 Tonnes of CO2 Equivalent
Total Scope 2 Emissions : e.g. 2,235.634 Tonnes of CO2 Equivalent
Total Scope 3 Emissions : e.g. 29.651 Tonnes of CO2 Equivalent
Total other GHG Offsets/Removals: e.g. 0 Tonnes of CO2 Equivalent
GHG Performance in Ratio Indicator(s):

e.g. Emissions per Total Gross Floor Area: 0.2303 tonnes CO2-e/m2/annum
8. Information on GHG offsets and programmes

(a) Description of GHG performance against internal and/or external benchmark (if any) including any ratio indicators used
(b) Scopes and areas identified to improve GHG performance
(c) Description of activities/programmes to improve GHG performance including provision of on-site renewable energy
sources, purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates and on-site offsetting activities. For example, if the reporting entity can
only quantify the amount of paper waste recycled, the amount of GHG avoided due to recycling of paper waste can be
reported here.
e.g. We have completed the chiller replacement in Dec 2013. The carbon emissions were reduced from 2,609.156 tonnes CO2-e
in 2013 to 2,303.806 tonnes CO2-e in 2014. We will complete the replacement works of all T8 fluorescent tubes to T5 fluorescent
tubes in the XYZ Office Building by March 2016. These newly replaced fluorescent tubes are more energy saving than the existing
tubes. As a result, the electricity consumption on the lighting facilities will be decreased and the GHG emissions from the building
will hence be reduced.
9. Contact person of the reporting entity
e.g. Mr. XYZ (XYZ@XYZ.com)
10. Reference
e.g. “Guidelines to account and report Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Removals for Building of Commercial, Residential or
Institutional Purposes in Hong Kong” 2010 revision
51 Guide to Low Carbon Offices

https://www.climateready.gov.hk/?lang=1
DISCLAIMER
The materials in this guide are provided for informational purpose only. While the Government endeavours to provide accurate,
up-to-date and timely information, there is no guarantee that such information will continue to be accurate in the future. The
Government cannot accept responsibility for any damage or claim resulting from use of the information in the guide;
Any opinions, ÿndings, conclusions or recommendations expressed or quoted in the guide do not necessarily re°ect the views of the
Government, nor are the opinions expressed within endorsed by the Government; and
The Government holds the copyright to the information in this guide, unless otherwise stated.

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GUIDE TO

LOW CARBON OFFICES

Carbon audit is an effective process to understand

Guide to Low Carbon Office

Guide to Low Carbon Office

01 Introduction How To Reduce Carbon Emissions 15

05 What is Carbon Audit Case Studies 24

13 Checklist for Conducting Carbon Audit Useful Resources 27

Guide to Low Carbon Office

What is Carbon Audit?

Read the Guidelines at :

03 Guide to Low Carbon Office

Reduce Operational Cost Improve Organisation’s Image Demonstrate Corporate Responsibilities

Managing And Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

Staff Engagement Meet Stakeholders’ Expectation Support Government’s Reduction Target

04 Guide to Low Carbon Office

The major steps in conducting a carbon audit:

I. Define II. Identify III. Data IV. Apply V. Report

STEP I. Define Physical and Operational Boundaries

PHYSICAL BOUNDARY OPERATIONAL BOUNDARY

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Stationary source combustion: Stationary source combustion:

Mobile source combustion:

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The behaviour of office/building

• Adopt “Pay for use” billing

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ACTIVITY DATA TO BE COLLECTED

Fuel consumption receipts/records/meter readings Refrigerant and fire extinguisher purchase,

Records of number of trees planted that are able to reach at least

SCOPE 2 : ENERGY INDIRECT EMISSIONS

Electricity bills/meter readings Towngas bills/meter readings

SCOPE 3 : OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS

Water bills Paper purchase and Overseas travel records/

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EMISSION FACTOR GLOBAL WARMING POTENTIAL

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Total Carbon Emissions Normalised Total Carbon Emissions

300 tonnes 2 tonnes

— tonnes CO2-e per HK$ Earnings Before Interest, Tax,

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Methodologies whether the carbon audit process adheres to the

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Carbon Management Framework

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Yes / No / Not Applicable

SCOPE 1: DIRECT EMISSIONS AND REMOVALS

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SCOPE 2: ENERGY INDIRECT EMISSIONS

7 Any Towngas bill of the premises for the last 12 months?

9 Any purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates from power companies?

10 Any individual electricity consumption record for below electrical appliances?

Air-conditioning Office lighting Office equipment

Escalator Elevator Chiller

11 Any inventory of below equipment?

Office lighting Office equipment Servers

SCOPE 3: OTHER INDIRECT EMISSIONS (OPTIONAL)

13 Any water bill of the premises for the last 12 months?

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