Ms Au said that the RB received a HK$500,000 TechConnect (Block Vote) funding for the project in 2019/20. Following a tender in June 2020, the project's contractor was confirmed in July, and an agreement was secured with the MTRCL to trial the solution at Choi Hung Station. The station was chosen as it was not the busiest stations, and inconvenience to passengers could be minimised. Data also showed that the station had a fair share of passengers carrying bulky items, bicycles or prams.

When evaluating technological solutions, Ms Au and the team had compared options like video analytics, radar, thermal imaging camera or Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) technologies. Considering that video analytics might raise privacy concerns, data collected by the radar might not be accurate when the objects overlapped, and thermal imaging could not detect things with no temperature, the team went for the LiDAR as it fulfilled all technical requirements and would not capture facial images which might present privacy issues.

The LiDAR solution involves installing a stand-alone device about the size of a CCTV camera on the ceiling. It can map three-dimensional point cloud of an object in real-time to accurately determine its size and type, and even a person's walking pace and path to identify if help is required from the station staff. If the device detects a person entering the station carrying lengthy objects or metallic balloons, station staff will be immediately alerted to stop them from boarding trains.

When the LiDAR device detects people entering the turnstiles with bulky objects or prams, it will broadcast and project a specific multi-media message to the ground in front of the targeted people to remind them to use the lifts. If the message is ignored and the targeted persons head towards the escalators, the system will repeat the broadcast near the escalators, making sure those persons and passengers nearby get the message about safe use of escalators.

"The solution can also provide robust multi-dimensional data, such as human traffic flow, to support other operational functions. For example, it can show the time period in which there will be more people carrying bulky items. The data can be used as references for formulating safety promotion strategies. It's much more proactive than the previous practice of devising safety campaigns based on incident numbers alone," Ms Au said.

She also remarked, "The solution can also be used at government buildings with escalators, for facilitating public education about safe use of escalators. It goes to show that an innovative solution initiated by the EMSD for railway passenger safety can deliver spin-off applications that benefit all walks of life."

In the epidemic, ambulance maintenance is considered a high-risk task. However, the heightened risk did not discourage Mr Chan Chun-bun, a technician I of the Vehicle Engineering Sub-division, from performing his duties. He has 11 years of experience in ambulance maintenance and also worked on other government vehicles at the EMSD depot.

As a common practice, ambulances are cleaned before maintenance. "Since viruses are microscopic, cleaning an ambulance is more complicated than cleaning a refuse collection vehicle, for example, where the visible filth can be easily removed," said Mr Chan. Being one of the team members responsible for scheduled maintenance of ambulances, Mr Chan would wear full personal protective equipment at work, use disinfectant to thoroughly clean ambulance doors, handrails and ventilation outlets, and replace the air-conditioning filters before carrying out the maintenance work.

"When an ambulance that had carried a patient of confirmed or suspected COVID-19 case arrives for maintenance, we would carry out a more rigorous cleaning," explained Mr Chan. After replacing all filters in the air-conditioning system with new ones, they would activate an ozone device placed in the ambulance with all vehicle doors shut for about 90 minutes. The device would emit ozone at a density that kills germs and viruses, including those hidden in the air-conditioning system. Upon completion of the process, the vehicle doors would then be opened wide to disperse the ozone thoroughly before carrying out the maintenance work.

Recently, the team adopted the Advance Bulk Replacement Programme, under which specific parts and components are replaced early to better avoid ambulance breakdowns.

Mr Chan joined the EMSD's Technician Training Scheme in 2007. Given his current work on ambulances, he takes personal protection seriously and strictly observes all instructions on hygiene. "This is for the safety of myself, my family and my colleagues," he said.

During the waves of COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, Hong Kong's healthcare system was put under immense pressure. In July 2020, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region sought assistance from the Central Government for the rapid construction of a temporary hospital in Chek Lap Kok. The new North Lantau Hospital Hong Kong Infection Control Centre (NLHHKICC) was constructed entirely with the Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) method.

With rich experience in handling matters relating to negative pressure wards, Ms Cheng Shuk-fong, Justine and Mr Sze Pui-hong, Jason, both senior engineers of the Health Sector Division, formed a team with EMSTF colleagues to provide technical support as invited by Development Bureau for the design, installation, testing and commissioning to enhance the reliability and maintainability of various E&M systems at the NLHHKICC. The construction was commenced in September 2020, and the testing and commissioning work was carried out from November 2020 onwards. Aimed at admitting the first batch of patients on 26 February 2021, the Government's target was successfully met.

"In January 2021, we were under great pressure as we worked zealously with the contractors to test and commission the E&M systems and equipment. With the efforts, the installation, testing and commissioning work was eventually completed in a concurrent and timely manner. Some tests were conducted after 6:00 p.m. to avoid disruption to the installation work during the daytime," said Ms Cheng.

Mr Sze recalled that the team performed two highly intensive integrated tests within a week starting in late January 2021, covering a wide range of E&M systems, including ventilation system, emergency generators, electricity supply, fire services installations and lifts. Over 40 EMSTF colleagues took part in those complex tests. The integrated tests verified that the E&M systems functioned properly with a view to ensuring the smooth running of NLHHKICC in the future.

All team members felt very honoured to be involved in the project. Both Ms Cheng and Mr Sze cordially thanked everyone in the team for proactively going the extra mile to complete the tasks with dedication and within a very short timeframe.

Mr Mentor Cheung, an engineer of the General Legislation Division 1, has been co-ordinating the MVPS regulatory and facilitation work since he joined the EMSD in late 2019.

MVPSs are regulated under the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance (Cap. 618) (Ordinance). Five types of MVPSs that are more common, namely Vertical Lifting and Horizontal Sliding System, Tower Lifting System, Rotary Carousel System, Puzzle Stacking System and Circular Shaft Lifting System, are included in the Guideline. Due to the large variety of design types of MVPSs, an exhaustive list of relevant design requirements is not available. Instead, we provided in the Guideline the regulatory principles. For example, the Guideline specified that the EN14010 standard should be used as the design basis, and suggested the common risks and measures to mitigate the relevant risks, allowing flexibility for the trade to explore the implementation of different MVPSs.

Following the publication of the Guideline, Mr Cheung and his team explained to the Transport Department, various manufacturers and contractors the regulatory principles and provided to them technical advices in relation to six MVPS pilot projects and other privately-owned parking systems currently under preparation across the territory. The EMSD's proactive approach was applauded by all parties concerned.

After discussing with one of the contractors, Mr Cheung found that a type of two-tier Puzzle Stacking Parking System that could move horizontally and vertically had been implemented at some commercial buildings a few years ago, but the responsible persons had not applied for use permits. Mr Cheung sought legal advice from the Department of Justice (DOJ), which subsequently clarified that such systems were also subject to the regulation of the Ordinance.

"We put together a comprehensive plan for the responsible persons and contractors in order to regularise these systems. After confirming that the contractors possessed the requisite capabilities, we advise them to apply to become registered lift contractors to legally perform works on the MVPSs. Following the DOJ's clarification, we directed the responsible persons to suspend the operation of their systems and handled the cases in a humane way by allowing the lower level of these systems to be used for parking, in order to reduce the impact on the users and responsible persons. We also provided technical advice to the contractors and promptly arranged for inspections to expedite the issuance of use permits for the resumption of these systems as early as possible. In fact, this type of system was safe in general, but necessary safety devices such as emergency stop buttons should be installed to meet the prevailing safety standards," Mr Cheung said. For the some 60 MVPSs of the same type implemented across the territory, about 10 parking spaces of each system were suspended during the above exercise. With the concerted efforts of Mr Cheung and his team, over 30 MVPSs concerned have been issued with use permit and resumed operation.

"MVPSs using innovative technologies can help maximise parking capacity and address the intense demand for parking spaces in Hong Kong. Through providing policy support and technical monitoring, we strive to ensure the safety of such systems and promote the introduction of new technological solutions. I'm proud to have the chance to contribute in this respect," he said.

Members of the team that implemented the cloud-based central footfall monitoring system at the 15 points of sale of New Year flowers in early 2021 unanimously agreed that it was "an enjoyable experience" in providing services to enable the public to enjoy the traditional event in the epidemic. During the six-day event, the points of sale received about 870000 visitors in an orderly manner.

When the Government gave the go-ahead for the sale event of New Year flowers in early 2021 upon considering the fluctuating epidemic situation, we had only two weeks for the preparation work. One of our key tasks was to control the number of visitors to minimise the risk of infection transmission. Mr Chan Hor-yin, a senior engineer of the Digitalisation and Technology Division (DTD), headed the team that was responsible for the design and deployment of the footfall monitoring, queuing and ticketing system. All relevant systems were cloud-based, operating on both GWIN and 4G networks. "As we had never applied a footfall system to Lunar New Year fairs before, we had to creatively resolve a number of technical issues in a highly efficient manner," said Mr Chan. Fortunately, the DTD promptly mobilised over 160 colleagues to share the work, including system design, procurement, on-site operation, back-end information technology (IT) support, and overall monitoring, enabling the smooth progress of our project.

Every entrance and exit of the points of sale was equipped with three sets of sensors using different technology. After the footfall data was computed by the cloud-based system, the on-site display panel would issue either a green, amber or red signal in real time. Admission would be suspended when the red signal was issued.

Mr Chan Sze-nok, another senior engineer of the DTD, shared other operational challenges. For example, under adverse weather condition, some water barriers with sensors installed had been brought down by strong wind. "Our colleagues had to immediately re-install and test the sensors to ensure proper operation of the system," he recalled.

Mr Wong Wai-tat, Timothy, an engineer of the team, said that the event "brought together our different generations of IT professionals and passed on the EMSTF's legacy of serving the public with dedication". Mr Chan Hor-yin concluded that the fairs proved the effectiveness of the footfall system and GWIN in outdoor applications and allowed the team to compare the effectiveness of three sensor technologies, providing valuable reference for the EMSTF's future work.

In the wake of the COVID-19 clusters that occurred in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs), a fitness centre and a restaurant in Hong Kong, the EMSTF provided technical advice and support to clients in enhancing the ventilation of those premises.

Mr Ip Hok-shan, a senior engineer of the General Engineering Services Division (GESD), was part of the team that assisted the Social Welfare Department and the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), alongside Government advisor Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, in checking the ventilation systems of RCHEs where outbreaks occurred. "To ascertain whether inadequate ventilation led to the spread of virus, we reviewed the existing ventilation data, checked whether the equipment was working in order, and conducted smoke tests to simulate airflow direction and volume," Mr Ip explained. The team made reference to international standards and recommended that the air change per hour (ACH) of RCHEs should reach six. In December 2020, the EMSD issued a set of guidelines and tips on maintaining good ventilation at RCHEs.

Mr Ip was also called upon again to look into a major "fitness centre cluster" in March 2021. His team helped measure and assess the ventilation performance of the fitness centre, and advised that the ACH of fitness centres should also reach six.

Dine-in catering premises were also prone to epidemic outbreaks, as was the case of a restaurant in K11 MUSEA in late February 2021. Mr Leung Chi-to, an engineer of the Municipal Sector Division (MunSD), was tasked to assist the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department in assessing the ventilation system of the restaurant in early March, along with Professor Yuen and officers of the CHP. In the same month, the Government issued a direction that required all dine-in catering premises to ensure a minimum of six ACH or install air purifiers on or before 30 April 2021. Mr Leung and his team immediately began to work on two tasks, which were to compile a set of technical guidelines with ACH calculation and measurement methods, and provide a list of suitable air purifier models as an alternative.

"We met with representatives of the catering and hotel trades to help them comply with the requirements on ACH. We also spent a large amount of time evaluating and vetting hundreds of supplier submissions. Eventually, we came up with a list of air purifier models for food premises operators," said Mr Leung.

Both Mr Ip and Mr Leung were glad that they helped fight the virus at a critical time. They thanked frontline colleagues who were undaunted by the risk of infection in potentially contaminated environments and performed their duties with full dedication.

The past year was particularly fulfilling for our young engineers Mr Lau Wang-yip, Martin and Ms Hui Wing-yin, Bertha of the Security and Vehicle Services Division. They exerted great efforts in developing various digital solutions for the Smart Prison initiative under the Correctional Services Department (CSD), Hong Kong's first Smart Prison, Tai Tam Gap Correctional Institution (TGCI), marked the new chapter of the development of smart prisons in the territory.

Both Ms Hui and Mr Lau have been deeply involved in deploying award-winning innovation and technology (I&T) solutions for the CSD's Smart Prison protocol in recent years. The new developments aim to enhance the client's operational efficiency and to promote the humanised management of persons in custody (PICs).

Mr Lau highlighted TGCI's Video Analytic Monitoring System (VAMS) and Integrated Intelligent Communication System (IICS). The latest version of VAMS, drawing on previous valuable trial experience, uses enhanced algorithms and stick-figure visualisation analytics to identify several abnormal situations, namely fighting, aggregation, reaching high, etc. Once any of such situations are identified, the system will immediately alert CSD officers so they can take action to better protect PICs. For the IICS, Ms Hui explained, "PICs may now make calls at a phone booth using a personalised log-in and phone card, with all security measures fully supported by the system's biometrics and related technologies. The system allows PICs to make calls without having a CSD officer present, releasing precious manpower for other duties."

Other improvements included the use of CCTV cameras of higher resolution to support the VAMS's visual analytics function, as well as using better materials for a new generation of smart wristbands. The improved wristband will send an alarm to CSD staff if a PIC's heartbeat deviates from the normal range or if they enter a restricted area. Both Mr Lau and Ms Hui agreed that artificial intelligence had great potential for Smart Prison development, and that continuous fine-tuning of I&T solutions after real-life trials was important, too.

Ms Lee Kit-chun, Cherry, an engineer of the Municipal Sector Division, led the EMSTF team to support the temporary air-inflated laboratory at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Park (SYSMP) Sports Centre. Challenging yet typical, her task was to complete the anti-epidemic work in a fast-changing environment within a very tight timeframe.

Ms Lee was notified in early August 2020 that in preparation for the Government's Universal Community Testing Programme (UCTP) scheduled for implementation on 1 September, her team had less than two weeks to enhance the electricity system of the SYSMP Sports Centre to ensure sufficient electricity supply to support the operation of 16 additional air-inflated temporary laboratories therein.

"Working under a tight schedule, our co-ordination work had to be done quickly and precisely," Ms Lee recalled. Her team inspected the venue's ventilation system immediately to ensure its reliability for laboratory operations. Apart from modifying the electrical installations, the team conducted ventilation assessment of various potential UCTP venues and analysed their suitability. Tasked to complete this urgent mission, the team visited and assessed over 200 selected venues within only three days from 18 to 20 August. Throughout the implementation of the UCTP from 1 to 14 September, the team continuously monitored the power supply and ventilation systems of all of the 141 UCTP testing centres, and provided troubleshooting services.

The SYSMP Sports Centre also became one of the pilot venues for the Government's COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. Working together with other government departments and the Hospital Authority, Ms Lee's team began the relevant preparatory work in late January 2021 by drawing up the optimal cubicle layouts for the Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs), the traffic flow, as well as the electricity supply and wiring arrangements. The SYSMP Sports Centre was the first sports centre to be converted to a CVC and its set-up later become the template for other CVCs.

Ms Lee thanked all her team members for their hard work. "We have learnt a lot about effective co-ordination work, met colleagues from other departments and bureaux, and helped the community in the epidemic. It was a joyful and meaningful experience," she remarked.

The opening of the first phase of the multi-storey Vehicle Examination Complex (VEC) in Tsing Yi in April 2021 will mark a new milestone for the Transport Department (TD). Upon its full operation, the VEC will replace all three existing TD vehicle examination centres.

Mr Lee Yue-wah, Ellis, a senior engineer in the Boundary Crossing Facilities and Transport Services Division, joined the project in 2018. One of the first challenges his team facing was to quickly ramp up their knowledge of the vehicle examination workflow. Mr Lee made sure that his team members spent time with the TD's vehicle examination officers to familiarise themselves with the examination workflow for different types of vehicles. Training by experts from manufacturers in the Mainland of China was also arranged for the team to gain insights into vehicle examination works.

As the first facility of its kind in Hong Kong, the VEC is a comprehensive and state-of-the-art multi-storey vehicle examination centre adopting new technologies. It comprises a seven-storey office tower and a three-storey inspection hall with a total of 30 inspection lanes and auxiliary facilities for examining various types of vehicles. Building Information Modelling was used in the design of vehicle examination equipment and electronic systems, providing a detailed digital record that can be analysed in the future for the improvement of the maintenance process.

"Most VEC systems are cutting-edge, so testing takes time," Mr Lee explained. For example, the VEC features a tilt test platform for double-decker bus safety testing and auxiliary facilities that evaluate the reliability of vehicles before the tested vehicles are permitted to operate on roads.

"We set very high testing standards and monitor the systems closely to provide a smooth vehicle examination process for TD officers and their customers," Mr Lee said. At the time of writing, examination lanes on the ground and first floors are already in service, while equipment testing is proceeding well in preparation for the opening of the second floor later this year. "The VEC is a large project and poses a unique challenge. We are glad to have overcome difficulties together with the client," Mr Lee concluded.

Mr Leung Kin-fung, an engineer working in the General Engineering Services Division, has often thought how wonderful it would be if one could accurately predict and prevent lift faults. Being responsible for the maintenance work of more than 3000 lifts in the EMSTF's various client buildings and venues, Mr Leung appreciated the enormous value such a solution would bring to his team and the lift maintenance trade, as well as to building managers and the public they serve.

In 2019, Mr Leung's team started developing an innovation and technology solution with the application of optical fibre technology. The team's novel predictive maintenance system uses both Fibre Bragg grating sensors and electronic sensors to gather real-time data on major lift components.

"This technology allows us to monitor the condition of the components during lift operation in real time, and recognise operational patterns. We use artificial intelligence technologies to analyse the data collected, and predict faults, so that appropriate maintenance can be carried out at the right time, that is, before faults occur."

The non-intrusive system, namely Cloud-based Predictive Maintenance System for Real-Time Lift Monitoring, that we jointly developed with a local start-up, won a Gold Medal in the world-renowned International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva 2021. Mr Leung remarked that this was the first time that the optical fibre sensing technology was applied to lift maintenance in Hong Kong. After the first trial on four government lifts in late 2019, the system has since been trialled on a total of ten lifts at different government venues.

Talking about the challenges encountered, Mr Leung recalled initial difficulties in determining the major lift components for fault prediction. After repeated experimentation, the traction motor, brake arms, steel ropes and lift doors were the components identified as the best locations for the sensors. A standardised design was developed for the system and shared with the trade progressively.

About 17000 residential buildings in Hong Kong are using town gas, with about 70000 town gas risers installed. It is an enormous task to inspect these outdoor gas pipes for leaks. The usual practice in the past was to get near a gas pipe via a nearby residential unit, or extend inspection tools out of a window to check the targeted spot. For stairwells or hard-to-reach locations, scaffoldings might even be necessary to get the job done.

To enhance gas pipe monitoring and safety, the EMSD acquired a laser methane detector in October 2020. The device was augmented with a tripod for stabilisation, and a long-range camera lens for conducting remote visual examination of town gas pipes.

Ms Leung explained, "Due to the high density of buildings in Hong Kong, checking the gas leakage of outdoor town gas risers presented challenges and limitations for our inspectors in the past. Now, even I can easily handle this laser methane detector, which is about the size of a torch, to remotely check the gas leakage of outdoor gas pipes when required. Using the equipment reduces the need to access the gas pipes via residential units during the epidemic, which is both beneficial and convenient to the public and conducive to improving the efficiency of the gas safety regulatory work. After adopting the equipment, our team can quickly conduct gas incident investigations and ascertain the on-site safety condition of gas pipes instantly, without having to spend time to go through the hassle of making appointments with the occupants for access to the premises."

The GasSO team has always been proactive in adopting I&T and encouraging the trade to leverage smart tools to enhance gas safety. Ms Leung remarked, "We maintain close communication and collaboration with The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (HKCG) on the adoption of I&T. In April 2021, we set up an I&T Working Group with HKCG and have regular meetings on top of daily communication to share experience and information on I&T application, so that we can continue to leverage advanced tools to monitor the safe operation of gas facilities with a view to enhancing the gas safety level."

As the Gas Authority of Hong Kong, the EMSD is committed to safeguarding the gas safety of the public by applying its professional knowledge. "Since joining the EMSD in 2015 and participating in gas safety regulatory and public promotion work, I have experienced through my daily duties how the EMSD fulfilled our role as the facilitator in promotion of gas safety. Together with the trade, we will keep up with the times and adopt the latest smart technology to enhance Hong Kong's gas safety level. We will continue to explore the application of I&T tools in the coming years, for example, the big data analytics and geographic information system, with a view to supporting the continuous monitoring of the safety condition of the gas pipes in buildings," she said.

"To comply with the statutory requirements, the approval work for the NLHHKICC was conducted in two parts. The first part was stage one declaration for ascertaining that suitable design provisions in accordance with the specified standards and requirements not lower than the Building Energy Code (BEC) had been incorporated into the planning and design of the proposed buildings. The second part was stage two declaration for assessing that the building services installations had been designed, installed and completed in accordance with the BEC standards and relevant requirements after occupation of the buildings. We also made on-site inspections to ensure compliance of the installations," he said.

Mr Mok was keenly aware of the urgency of the project and that it was very important to ensure things going on the right tracks from the outset to avoid remedial works as the MiC modules were manufactured in the Mainland of China. He communicated with all the parties on all the key issues at an early stage and worked closely with the Architectural Services Department (ArchSD) in advance. "When we learnt that the project team had questions about energy efficiency designs, we immediately held meetings with the ArchSD, the contractor and the registered energy assessor (REA) to discuss about the design drawings provided. We hoped that the preparation work and evaluation process could be conducted at the soonest during the early stage. We discussed the design plan to ascertain that the module installations had already taken full consideration of the statutory requirements at the design stage," he said.

"Based on our previous evaluation experience, we pointed out the areas prone to errors, such as the motor efficiency of the fan in the air handling units, the requirements for insulation thickness of refrigerant pipeworks, etc. We reminded the contractors in advance to pay attention to these areas and got them absolutely right from the outset. Otherwise, if problems were found upon shipment of the modules to Hong Kong, precious time would be wasted on dismantling and rectification works. Besides, we underscored that the lighting power density of lighting installations should not exceed the maximum allowable value, and those spaces which were not always occupied, such as corridors, should be installed with automatic lighting control systems," he explained.

About four months later in January 2021, the project was at the finishing line. Mr Mok assigned inspectors to walk through six blocks of two-storey wards and the medical centre block to inspect and take photo records immediately. They checked whether the site installations complied with the statutory requirements and relevant standards, such as whether the lighting power density aligned with the submitted plan, whether the coefficient of performance of the air-conditioners met the BEC standards, etc.

"Building this hospital was a social responsibility, and it was helpful for dealing with the critical epidemic situation then. When we saw scenes like how workers laboured day and night, the eventual shipment of MiC modules to Hong Kong, etc. in the project video, the hard work of the whole team flashed back. It was really very heartening to have played a part and contributed to the project in making it happens," Mr Mok said.

Mr Ng has taken part in five anti-epidemic missions since early 2020. The first one in August 2020 was co-ordinating a COVID-19 Testing for Targeted Groups for the lift and escalator trade. After a quick tender exercise and communicating with the trade, 7100 test kits were distributed to trade practitioners, offering convenient and free testing service for the trade workmen whose jobs involve going around different districts to maintain and repair lifts and escalators.

The second mission, on 23-24 January 2021, was the first-ever compulsory COVID testing in the "specified areas" of Jordan over a weekend. "As a civil servant, I was ready to serve on the frontline, leading 15 GLD colleagues in two groups to support the mission on Saturday and Sunday," he said. About 3000 civil servants from 16 government departments took part in the action to support the Home Affairs Department (HAD) in supplies distribution, patrolling, traffic control and sticking notices on different floors of the buildings in the area. "There were seniors with mobility difficulties who couldn't come down to the common areas of the buildings to collect supplies. So we delivered the supplies to them according to HAD colleagues' direction," he said. The experience from the mission was valuable reference for similar actions down the road.

The third mission was operating a Community Vaccination Centre (CVC). From March 2021, 52 EMSD colleagues formed two teams to manage the CVC at the Lung Sum Avenue Sports Centre in Sheung Shui. They took turns to cover a 12.5-hour shift to support registration; verification of appointments, identification and vaccine type; as well as managing queues so that the public did not have to wait too long outdoors exposed to the weather. The teams also arranged for refilling medical consumable supplies such as injection needles and gloves. As the assistant director of the centre, Mr Ng co-ordinated its operation and communicated with the medical team. When he was on duty in April, he had to travel a long way from his Chai Wan home to Sheung Shui. At one stretch, he was on duty for 12.5 hours daily three days in a row. It was only in May, when the Government started deploying tourism industry practitioners to take over the CVC duties, that the mission of Mr Ng and his team was finally completed. "An unexpected bonus from this anti-epidemic mission was getting to know colleagues from different EMSD Divisions serving at the same CVC. It will help us work together more smoothly in the future," he said.

In the fourth mission in late May 2021, he co-ordinated a bi-weekly COVID-19 testing for EMSD staff who were in the targeted group of civil servants who had not yet been vaccinated. Temporary testing centres were set up in designated sites at the EMSD's Kowloon Bay headquarters and specified locations on Hong Kong Island and in the New Territories. At the centres, contractors would perform nasopharyngeal swabs on EMSD colleagues. "Some of our frontline colleagues face a certain degree of health risks in the line of duty, such as providing operational, maintenance and repair support for public medical facilities, quarantine centres and ambulances, or interacting frequently with the public on duties like enforcing E&M safety. Our earlier missions aimed at helping the general public. This one was about helping colleagues so they didn't have to register and wait at the Community Testing Centres. Hence, I was most eager to contribute."

The fifth mission was arranging outreach vaccination for EMSD colleagues and contractors, as well as their family members at EMSD's Kowloon Bay headquarters in mid-June. After collating feedback through a questionnaire, the team registered those opting to be vaccinated on the same day with the same type of vaccine. This was followed by liaising with the Civil Service Bureau to reserve medical personnel for the outreach vaccination exercise for EMSD colleagues and their families.

"Anti-epidemic work is full of challenges, yet very meaningful. As a civil servant, or even as a citizen, it's an honour to take part in such work. I hope the epidemic will be over as soon as possible so that the community and all the citizens can resume their normal life," he said.

In fact, prior to this operation, Mr Tang had also responded to the EMSD's call to support the Universal Community Testing Programme launched by the Government of Hong Kong in September 2020. He was deployed at a community testing centre in Kennedy Town as a deputy supervisor. During the 10-day operation, he led his team to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., responsible for administrative duties such as public reception, rostering, resources management and replenishment, provision of assistance to medical staff, etc. His mission was to keep the centre running smoothly and make sure that the public could complete the tests as speedily as possible to minimise disruption to their daily life. He totally agreed that the full commitment of everyone was essential for combating the epidemic successfully.

During testing operation for the "specified areas", the volunteers had to work on day or night shift on Saturday and Sunday, and stood guard at assigned locations to answer residents' enquiries, manage queues, explain the test processes, support the District Office in packing and distributing supplies, etc. Mr Tang stationed at the triage point of two testing locations within the specified areas during the day time to guide residents to the right testing locations.

As it was an impromptu operation, residents inevitably aired grievances about inadequate supplies and unclear instructions. Some of them also demanded for entering or leaving the "restricted areas". "When I was on duty, a 90-year-old elderly resident requested to return to his shop within the restricted area to take care of something and then leave. I explained to him patiently that once he entered the restricted area, he would have to stay till the end of the operation. Regarding residents' complaints about the supplies, we explained to them that the supplies had to be distributed evenly in an orderly manner first, and residents could request for refills later if necessary," he said.

Frontline staff often bear the brunt of citizens' displeasure. As a senior electrical inspector, Mr Tang's usual duties include leading the team to face the public, deal with complaints, conduct inspections and explain electricity regulatory requirements, etc. Based on his job experience, he knows it is important to listen to the demands of the public carefully and respond accordingly. When they have calmed down, they will naturally understand the true purpose and effect of the operation.

During the operation, he also strived to help other colleagues solve problems, such as assisting colleagues in the District Office team to find battery lights for lighting at night. Besides, he and his team were assigned to different areas where they had to walk up and down the floors in old buildings that have no lifts to find the flats with nobody answering the door and affixed compulsory testing notices. The task was completed within a few hours, fully demonstrating excellent teamwork.

Anti-epidemic duties have inherent trials and tribulations, such as the difficulty of going to toilet while donning full personal protection gear. Still, Mr Tang, like his fellow civil servant volunteers in the operation, was adaptive and keen to contribute to Hong Kong's anti-epidemic efforts without complaint. He and other volunteers of the EMSD were not only commended by the Department for their significant contributions to the operation, but also received appreciation and gratitude from District Office colleagues.

After he retired from his full-time position in June 2020, he continued on his mission in a new capacity as the EMSD's Principal Energy Efficiency Advisor (PEEA). In May 2021, he was unanimously re-elected the Chairman of the EGEE&C for another two-year term.

During his first term as the Chairman of the Expert Group, Mr Vy chaired the 54th EGEE&C meeting in the Philippines in September 2019 and represented the Expert Group to attend the 57th and 58th meetings of the APEC Energy Working Group (EWG) to report on work progress. The subsequent meetings of the EWG and the Expert Group had to go virtual due to suspension of cross-border travel during the pandemic. Despite the ongoing challenges associated with the pandemic over the past year or so, the EGEE&C's member economies maintained close liaison and continued to enthusiastically exchange views about their latest work on energy efficiency and conservation online. Member economies are committed as ever to rallying each other to achieve energy efficiency, towards the goal of reducing energy intensity in the Asia-Pacific region by 45% in 2035,using 2005 as the base.

Mr Vy has also been actively building connections with international organisations in his capacity as the Chairman of the EGEE&C, and fostering close partnerships for promoting energy efficiency and conservation. "APEC's member economies account for 60% of the global energy demand. The long-term goal envisaged in the Paris Agreement is to keep global temperature increase within 1.5 degree Celsius by 2050. To achieve this goal, global economies have to strengthen communication, as the effort of every economy is equally important," Mr Vy said.

Climate change is also an important issue for the Government, and various carbon reduction initiatives are being studied. That include exploring different forms of low-carbon energy and carbon reduction technologies, elevating the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings, promoting new energy vehicles and green transportation, and developing large-scale waste-to-energy facilities. In the 2020 Policy Address, the HKSAR Government pledged to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, setting the tone for more intensive carbon reduction.

Mr Vy is thankful that in his previous term as the Chairman of the EGEE&C, the EMSD could make use of the Expert Group's platform to publish reports and share the results and insights in enhancing energy efficiency through the District Cooling Systems and Retro-commissioning for existing buildings, which induced mutual encouragement among member economies to improve energy efficiency in their communities.

"In the coming two-year term as the Chairman, I hope to communicate more closely with international organisations and source more international experience for reference of the Expert Group members. I'll also strive to promote green development in their post-pandemic economic recovery efforts. The Expert Group may explore the possibility of creating employment opportunities and supporting economic recovery in the energy efficiency and conservation field. It is hoped that through mutual encouragement and facilitation, member economies will include strategies and initiatives related to energy efficiency and renewable energy in different projects to strive for two major goals, namely reducing energy intensity in the Asia-Pacific region by 45% by 2035, with 2005 as the baseline, and doubling the share of renewable energy generation in the Asia-Pacific regional energy structure by 2030, as compared to the 2010 level," Mr Vy said.

Now enjoying retirement life, Mr Vy will strike a balance between his work and life. He intends to spend more time with family and friends, while passing on his valuable experience through maintaining his work on energy efficiency with the EMSD and APEC.

Ms Yau remarked that the VMRU was in charge of the promotion, daily management and operation of the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Mechanics (VRSVM) and the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance Workshops (VRSVMW). The unit processes about 4000 registration applications on average each year. Seeing that the vehicle maintenance trade was facing a hard time, the Director and VMRU advocated for the inclusion of the trade under the AEF and succeeded in getting the Vehicle Maintenance Workshops (VMWs) covered in the AEF 2.0. The 20 colleagues in the VMRU immediately raced against time to process the applications round the clock despite having to work from home according to the Government's directive.

She recalled that based on the estimates of 2800 VMWs in Hong Kong, about 2050 of them are registered, the team originally expected that about 2700 applications would be received. However, it ended up receiving 3134 applications, of which about 1550 were from non-registered workshops. Verification and assessments had to be conducted for those applications to ascertain if they were eligible for the AEF subsidy.

"Confirmation and approval of non-registered VMWs were rather complicated. For example, the addresses provided came in a wide array of formats, and many workshops were located in remote brownfields in the New Territories. A single location could have a number of business registrations. We had to undergo a lot of investigation and verification to ensure that there were no duplicated submissions," she said.

As digital application was not commonly used in the vehicle maintenance trade, the VMRU had been using paper submission for the registration schemes to suit the trade. "To facilitate the AEF applications and taking into account the risk of COVID-19 infections and work-from-home limitations, we decided to build an online application system from scratch. We also added an application function in the E&M Trade App. We were fortunate to have enlisted the help from colleagues of the Trading Fund's Information Technology Strategic Support Sub-division, so that we could issue a tender within a short time and lined up a contractor to build the system within a month," she explained.

The system was made as simple as possible. Applicants were only required to provide their workshop's name, location and business registration information, etc. A photo-taking function was included so that applicants could submit the relevant documents and workshop photos as evidence. "We quickly produced a video to explain the application and submission procedures step by step. We also arranged computers and communication facilities for colleagues who had no digital equipment at home during the work-from-home period. A few hotlines were set up to handle enquiries. When the programme was launched initially, our colleagues had to deal with more than 100 enquiries each day," Ms Yau said.

By the end of August 2020, when civil servants resumed working in the office, the VMRU's inspectors immediately started visiting the applicant workshops for eligibility verification. The VMRU even had to enlist inspectors from other sub-divisions, and 600-plus site visits were conducted. In the end, the unit managed to complete the process within four months. A total of 2879 eligible VMWs were approved for the AEF subsidy of HK$50,000, and a total subsidy of HK$144 million was disbursed to the trade under this initiative.

After attending to the AEF processing work, Ms Yau and her colleagues still had to catch up with the work that had been set aside. Yet, they were pleased that the exercise had brought unexpected benefits. Other than enhanced communication with the trade, many previously unregistered vehicle mechanics and VMWs took the initiative to join the registration schemes, while the groundwork for digitisation of both schemes was laid. Ms Yau is delighted that the VMRU offered help to the trade when it was most needed. The initiative also showed that the VMRU was not only about registration but also standing with the trade to ride out challenges.