Annual Report 2004–05

Pollution Control and Waste Management I n keeping w i t h the University's climate change position, the Un i v e r s i ty has been taking steps to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. A l l shuttle buses are regularly ma i n t a i n ed a nd installed w i t h diesel o x i d a t i on catalytic converters. ' En g i ne O f f, Wa it Green' is b e i ng p r o m o t ed to all drivers to raise p u b l ic awareness about green d r i v i ng practices. B u i l d i n gs have been designed w i t h elevators to p r o v i de access to d i f f e r e nt t o p o g r a p h i c al levels a n d trails h a ve been b u i l t between colleges a nd the ma i n campus to reduce campus traffic. The Un i v e r s i ty ma de a concerted effort to reduce waste t h r o u gh the i mp l eme n t a t i on of a f o ur 'R' Strategy of Reduce, Replace, Reuse a nd Recycle i n its d a i ly activities. Th o u s a n ds of recycling facilities were placed near classrooms a nd offices to facilitate waste segregation a nd recycling on c amp us b y students a nd staff members. A p a r t f r om the recycling activities, the Un i v e r s i ty has been constantly w o r k i ng w i t h other environmental protection units a nd charitable organizations to collect used books a nd o l d clothes w h i c h are t h en f o r wa r d ed to the needy. Comp a r ed to 2000, the v o l ume of refuse was reduced f r om 50,000 litres to 31,700 litres per day and the recovery rate of papers a nd a l u m i n um cans b y 41.38 per cent a nd 49.13 per cent respectively. Energy and Water Conservation I n 2004, the Energy Savings Task Force c omm i s s i o n ed the E M O to c o n d u ct detail studies a nd consolidate a proper course of energy conservation action: • Replacement of water-cooled chiller i n Shanghai F r a t e r n i ty As s o c i a t i on Research Services Centre • De c omm i s s i o n i ng of air-cooled chiller system at John Fu l t on Centre • Establishment of a B u i l d i ng Energy Performance Index • I mp l eme n t a t i on of L i g h t i ng Retrofit Phase V • A d o p t i on of renewable energy b y u s i ng evacuated solar collectors • I mp l eme n t a t i on of Phase I I B u i l d i ng Ma n a g eme nt System P r o g r amme • Fo rma t i on of an Energy Ma n a g eme nt System • Fo rma t i on of B u i l d i ng Energy Conservation Comm i t t ee of Engineering B u i l d i ng • Co n d u c t i ng energy r e v i ew of b u i l d i ng design i n n ew b u i l d i n gs As a result of these energy conservation measures, the energy cost per u n i t has been decreasing i n the past five years. A u t oma t ic cut-off taps are b e i ng u s ed i n the wa s h r o oms to p r e v e nt wastage of water. Posters a nd stickers are posted to r em i nd users not to waste wa t er d u r i ng wa s h i n g. A wa t er r e d u c t i on c omp e t i t i on is also l a u n c h ed i n the s t u d e nt hostels to encourage s t u d e n ts to use less wa t e r. Seminars a n d w o r k s h o ps a b o ut wa t er a n d energy c o n s e r v a t i on we re r e g u l a r ly a r r a n g ed to enhance the awareness of staff a n d students. I n 2000, o v er 90,000m 3 wa t er per m o n t h was c o n s umed b y the University. W i t h the me n t i o n ed measures, the mo n t h ly water c o n s ump t i on in 2004 was reduced significantly to 82,500m 3 . Community Awareness To p r omo te e n v i r o nme n t al awareness, the U n i v e r s i ty o r g a n i z ed m a n y p r o g r ammes for staff, students a nd the p u b l i c. A w i d e range of activities such as green c amp us e x h i b i t i o n, energy c o n s u m p t i on g u e s s i ng g ame, c om i cs contest, e n v i r o n m e n t al p h o to contest, e c o t o u rs a n d wo r k s h o ps were staged d u r i ng En v i r o nme n t al Protection Week. The colleges also h o l d annual e n v i r o nme nt activities a n d / o r inter-hostel a w a rd scheme, w h i c h have effectively raised students' e n v i r o nme n t al awareness. 校 園 發 展 與 環 境 保護 C a m p us D e v e l o p m e nt a nd Environmental Protection 9 7