About ISO 14001 EMS for Construction Sector SMEs
The EPD has been encouraging the construction sector, and all private organisations, to improve their environmental performance since 1994. A major focus of these efforts is the adoption of the ISO 14001 environmental management system.
The construction industry is by far the leading sector in terms of ISO 14001 certification. The EPD's website includes a list of the construction companies involved and vision statements from their senior management. It is hoped this will encourage others in the trade to improve their environmental management practices.
As part of our promotion efforts, we have organised joint seminars and workshops with the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, among others. In 2001, we also organised two larger events. A seminar on environmental management and green procurement was held with Environment Canada, and a separate gathering was organised on corporate environmental performance. These were well-attended and well-received.
In December 2004, the EPD launched a seminar and disseminated a support package on Environmental Management Information and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) tailored made for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector. They aim to help SMEs in the construction sector understand the local environmental pressure from different stakeholders and stay competitive in the environmentally conscious market.
The seminar was organised by the EPD with support from the Environment, Transport & Works Bureau, Provisional Construction Industry Coordination Board, Hong Kong Construction Association, Swire Properties, Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, Trade & Industry Department and Business Environment Council (link to presentation material page). More than 200 participants representing SME contractors, main contractors, utility companies, academia, consultants and government departments attended the seminar and shared their valuable experience in environmental management.
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| More than 200 participants from the construction sector attended a seminar on an Environmental Management Information and ISO 14001 EMS support package for the construction sector organized by EPD in December 2004. Mr. Elvis Au, the Assistant Director (Environmental Assessment and Noise) of EPD, gave a welcoming address. | Guest Speakers (from left) Mrs. Charlotte LI (Trade and Industry Department), Mr. Alex WONG (Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency), Mr. CHOW Kwok Leung (Environment, Transport & Works Bureau), Mr. Kevin Edmunds (Business Environment Council), Mrs Shirley LEE (EPD), Mr. Russell Black (Provisional Construction Industry Coordination Board), Mr. Iain Wink (Hong Kong Construction Association) and Mr. Stephen FONG (Swire Properties) at the Q & A session at the December 2004 seminar on an Environmental Management Information and ISO 14001 EMS support package for the construction sector organized by EPD. |
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| Environmental Management Information and ISO 14001 EMS support package for the construction sector |
The support package for the construction sector includes a review of updated environmental management information related to the latest trend in supply chain pressure in the construction sector, a set of user-friendly generic ISO 14001 EMS templates, and a user manual with sector specific practical examples for the construction sector to facilitate their adoption and implementation of the ISO 14001 EMS.
Please see the details in 
