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LCQ12: Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme for Offices and Public Places
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     Following is a question by Hon Paul Chan Mo-po and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (February 4):

Question:

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) launched the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Certification Scheme for Offices and Public Places (the Certification Scheme) in September 2003 to encourage public and private organisations to pursue the best level of IAQ.  Moreover, under the Accreditation Scheme for IAQ Certificate Issuing Body (CIB) implemented by EPD since February last year, all IAQ certificates and reports under the Certification Scheme must be issued by CIBs accredited by the Hong Kong Accreditation Service.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council whether:

(a)  it knows, since the implementation of the Accreditation Scheme for IAQ CIB, the respective numbers of premises, offices and buildings which have been issued or have applied for the IAQ certificate and report; whether it has reviewed the effectiveness of the Certification Scheme and the Accreditation Scheme for IAQ CIB (including the numbers of premises, offices and buildings participating in the Certification Scheme); if it has, of the results of the review; if not, the reasons for that;

(b)  it has ascertained if the number of existing CIBs is sufficient to meet the demand, and of the measures currently in place to encourage more organisations to participate in the Certification Scheme, so as to assist more public and private organisations in improving IAQ;

(c)  it will make the Certification Scheme mandatory and require public and private organisations to commission CIBs to assess IAQ in their premises, offices and buildings; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(d)  it will consider formulating a set of IAQ standards; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

(a)  As of January 30, 2009, a total of 332 premises have received Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) certificates and reports under the ¡§Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme¡¨ (Certification Scheme).  Among these certificates issued, 68 cover the entire buildings and the rest cover offices or public places such as shopping malls.  In addition, there are about 10 other applications under processing.

     In recent years, there has been a clear increasing trend in the participation of the Certification Scheme.  The number of IAQ certificates issued in 2007 and 2008 exceeded that of the preceding year by 127 and 99 respectively - far higher than the increase of not more than 24 IAQ certificates a year in the preceding years.

     We have been monitoring closely the operation of the Certification Scheme and the Accreditation Programme for IAQ Certificate Issuing Body.  After the introduction of the Accreditation Programme, the number of premises participating in the Certification Scheme has still increased substantially.  We thus believe that the Accreditation Programme does not have negative effects on the Certification Scheme.  As the performances of CIBs are being checked by the Hong Kong Accreditation Service (HKAS), the credibility of IAQ certificates will be greatly enhanced.  It would help attract more premises to participate in the Certification Scheme.

(b)  At present, eight organisations have been accredited as IAQ Certificate Issuing Body.  We have not received any complaints that premises have to give up seeking IAQ certification because of shortage of CIBs.  We thus believe that the current number of CIBs can cope with the demand.  It is also expected that the number of CIBs will grow in line with the demand for the certification service.  As a matter of fact, the HKAS is now processing a CIB application and four other organisations have expressed interests in becoming CIBs.

     We will continue to encourage more organisations to become CIBs by various ways, including organising seminars and other promotional activities, so as to support our promotion of the Certification Scheme for better IAQ.  

(c)  Other countries such as the US, European countries and Japan are all adopting voluntary approach in managing IAQ.  We have commissioned a consultancy study to review our IAQ Management Programme.  The study will also examine the feasibility of mandatory IAQ control in offices and indoor public places.  The review study is expected to be completed in the first half of 2009.

(d)  We have already established a set of two-level IAQ objectives (i.e., ¡§Excellent Class¡¨ and ¡§Good Class¡¨) under the IAQ certification scheme for assessing the IAQ of buildings.  The IAQ objectives were set having regard to the IAQ objectives of other advanced countries as well as the recommendation of World Health Organization on certain air pollutants.  The consultancy study being undertaken will also examine whether these objectives need to be revised.

Ends/Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:42

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