HKEC Environmental Management Team
Hong Kong East Cluster

Seven hospitals go for eco-culture

The ‘20-year eco-challenge’ memes spread across Hong Kong East Cluster (HKEC) deep and wide. HKEC Environmental Management Team makes ‘go green’ a lifestyle, a paradigm shift and culture in the cluster, and perfectly exemplifies various initiatives at hospital level. With the aim to stop the depletion of resources, pollution and exploitation of the world, the team demonstrates HA’s vision of ‘healthy people’ with profound effort.

Energy management and reduction of electricity consumption in 1997 was the first step of going green in HKEC. Eric Wong, Cluster Manager (Facilities Management), explains that huge amount of energy is required to support 24-hour medical services in hospitals, covering lighting, air conditioning, and operation of medical equipment. Currently, HKEC consumes over 100 million units (kWh) of energy each year, about half of which comes from air conditioning and ventilation system. “Today, in addition to replacing high-efficiency chiller units, a central energy management system is also required to monitor electricity usage throughout the day. Regular and frequent inspection of temperature at different zones of the hospital is also essential.”

The Central Production Unit responsible for handling patient food services in nine hospitals also rolled out a campaign in 1997 to reduce food waste. As some patients were in fasting and some preferred home-cooked meals prepared by family, the hospital decided to allow nurses to instantly update and input the required amount of patient meals through a notification and computing system. On the other hand, the laundry, handling 55,000 pieces of clothes and linen a day, redesigned the curtains with fabric 40% lighter and reduced the size of bath towel by 20% to lower water consumption in recent years.

Department renovation provides a good chance for environmental conservation drives. To achieve optimal use of energy during non-service hours, an energy saving mode or ‘night’ mode function was installed in the ventilation control system of the ophthalmology operating theatre in Tung Wah Eastern Hospital during renovation. Department of Clinical Pathology of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital also reviewed its setting and applied the latest ventilation standard in the laboratory. “The old air ventilation system continuously supplied 100% fresh air with zero return air to meet the then standard of infection control when the hospital was designed. With a high standard of air filtration level and circulation function, the new system requires only 30% supply of fresh air to maintain air quality, thus greatly reducing energy consumption,” Department Manager Albert Li elaborates.

Julie Li, the team leader and Cluster General Manager (Administrative Services) of HKEC explains three unique attributes of HKEC in its energy saving drive, namely sustainable culture, active participation of staff, and the integration of green drives in daily work, be it clinical and non-clinical. “We often encourage colleagues to express their ideas and suggestions on environmental protection. Ideas, if adopted, will have strong administrative support. In manifesting our social responsibility, the cluster successfully translates HA’s vision into environmental-friendly actions with a green culture that stands the test of time. We are proud of HKEC,” she adds.