Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance

The Ordinance mainly regulates:

• 13 types (will added to 15 types by 20 September 2026) of buildings to comply with the energy efficiency standards of building services installations stipulated in the Code of Practice for Energy Efficiency of Building Services Installation (the “Building Energy Code”) when they are newly constructed or when major retrofitting works are carried out; and
• 2 types (will added to 11 types by 20 September 2026) of buildings to conduct energy audits in accordance with the Code of Practice for Building Energy Audit (the “Energy Audit Code”) at intervals no longer than 10 years (will shorten to 5 years by 20 September 2026). For energy audits commenced on or after 20 September 2026, certain technical information in the energy audit reports are required to disclose.

Types of building under regulation:

• Currently 13 types of building that require to comply with the Building Energy Code include:

1. Commercial building.
2. A portion of a composite building that is not for residential or industrial use.
3. Hotel or guesthouse.
4. Common area of a residential building.
5. Common area of a portion of a composite building that is for residential or industrial use.
6. Common area of an industrial building.
7. Building that is occupied principally for an education purpose.
8. Building that is occupied principally for community services including a community hall, a social services centre and a composite building occupied as both such places.
9. Building that is occupied principally for municipal services including a market, a cooked food centre, a library, a cultural centre, an indoor games hall and a composite building occupied as 2 or more such places.
10. Building that is occupied principally for medical and health care services including a hospital, clinic and rehabilitation centre.
11. Building that is owned by the Government and used principally for the accommodation of people during the performance of any function of the Government.
12. Passenger terminal building of an airport.
13. Railway station.

Add the following 2 types of buildings by 20 September 2026:

14. Building that is occupied principally as a data centre.
15. A portion of an industrial building that is occupied principally as a data centre.

• Currently 2 types of building that require to conduct energy audit in accordance with the Energy Audit Code at intervals no longer than 10 years include:

1. Commercial building.
2. A portion of a composite building that is for commercial use.

By 20 September 2026, add the following 9 types of buildings, shorten energy audit intervals to 5 years, and require the disclosure of technical information in the energy audit reports:

3. Building that is occupied principally for an education purpose.
4. Building that is occupied principally for community services including a community hall, a social services centre and a composite building occupied as both such places.
5. Building that is occupied principally for municipal services including a market, a cooked food centre, a library, a cultural centre, an indoor games hall and a composite building occupied as 2 or more such places.
6. Building that is occupied principally for medical and health care services including a hospital, clinic and rehabilitation centre.
7. Building that is owned by the Government and used principally for the accommodation of people during the performance of any function of the Government.
8. Passenger terminal building of an airport.
9. Railway station.
10. Building that is occupied principally as a data centre.
11. A portion of an industrial building that is occupied principally as a data centre.

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Following the enactment of the BEEO in 2012, the BEC and the EAC were promulgated at the same time to regulate the energy efficiency of buildings services installations.

Both BEC and EAC are reviewed on regular basis to keep the Codes of Practice abreast of the times. The new edition of BEC 2024 & EAC 2024 have been fully implemented on 23 August 2025, uplifted the energy efficiency standards by more than 20% as compared with the 2015 edition.

Since the implementation of the BEEO in 2012, it has covered over 2 600 new buildings and 16 000 major retrofitting works of existing buildings that comply with the energy efficiency standards. In addition, around 2 700 commercial buildings have carried out their first round of energy audit, yielding fruitful results. We are very grateful to stakeholders including Registered Energy Assessors, developers, building owners, property management companies and the trade etc. on their participation and commitment for long-term decarbonisation and sustainable development in Hong Kong.

Apart from submission by mail and delivery in person, EMSD encourages to electronically submit the applications via EMSD Web-Based Regulatory Services by using iAMSmart+.

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To assist developers, owners or responsible persons to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance, the Ordinance sets up the role of Registered Energy Assessor (REA).

• the Register of REA

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