ENERGY IN BUILDINGS IN HONG KONG - A LESSON FOR THE MAINLAND

This paper discusses how the consumption pattern of occupants and architectural design of buildings affect the building energy consumption. An overview of the building energy consumptions in Hong Kong is presented. Electricity consumption data in Hong Kong may have resulted in various indications and estimates of the inevitable growth in electricity demand. The growth rate varies in different sectors and depends on the end-use pattern together with the economic activity. The increasing standard of living causes greater need of resources and sometimes may lead to abusive consumptions. In the last decade, the electricity consumption by the commercial sector increased by 52%. Not only the expansion of property market enabled the growth, but the mode of consumption and the architectural styles also brought the tremendous consumption. The community tends to chill the indoor environment far below the sensible temperature to avoid complaints in offices and shopping malls, and some buildings are illuminated 24 hours a day for decoration purpose. Wealth enables greater demand of energy while at the same time ignores the impact to the environment. However, the technological advancements in lighting, building materials and the space conditioning system partially compensate the surge of consumption. China is one of the world's most rapidly developing economies and the community is looking for higher standard of living.