*********************************************************
The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, today (February 25) visited Trade and Industry Tower (TI Tower) in the Kai Tak Development Area, which has won several green building awards, and the Trade and Industry Department (TID).
Accompanied by the Director of Architectural Services, Mr Leung Koon-kee, Mrs Lam first toured TI Tower and was briefed by officers of the Architectural Services Department and the contractor's representative on the green and energy-saving design concept.
Completed last year, TI Tower provides office space for 10 government departments and a community hall for residents of the district.
Mrs Lam inspected the green facilities, including an automated refuse collection system and water-saving sanitary fittings of the office floors, and viewed the vertical greening terraces on the façade and the roof garden. She was pleased to learn that TI Tower had received a Grand Award of the Green Building Award and the Platinum rating in the Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM Plus) in 2014, and was also commended by the US Green Building Council.
Mrs Lam then visited the TID to learn more about its work. She first met with the Director-General of Trade and Industry, Mr Kenneth Mak, and the TID's directorate staff. She also visited the department's office and public service counters, and talked to front-line staff. She commended the TID for fostering trade and economic co-operation between Hong Kong and trade partners, thereby helping Hong Kong enterprises expand their businesses in other markets.
Mrs Lam then visited the TID's Support and Consultation Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), known as SUCCESS in short, in Kwun Tong together with Mr Mak to observe its operation and services for SMEs.
At present, there are about 320,000 SMEs in Hong Kong. They constitute over 98 per cent of the business establishments in Hong Kong and employ about 50 per cent of the workforce in the private sector. Their vibrant growth and business performance are of particular importance to Hong Kong's economic development. Mrs Lam encouraged SUCCESS staff to continue to provide quality services to SMEs and help promote Hong Kong's continued economic development.
Ends/Thursday, February 25, 2016
Issued at HKT 18:54
NNNN