CAD wins Sustainable Carbon Neutral Award - Grand Award
The Civil Aviation Department (CAD) won the Sustainable Carbon Neutral Award - Grand Award in the Public Utility category in the CLP Smart Energy Award 2026, in recognition of CAD's continuous efforts and outstanding achievements in leveraging innovative technologies to promote energy saving and carbon reduction.
The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Ms Clara Wong, today (October 29) attended the presentation ceremony to receive the award. She expressed gratitude to her team for their dedication to enhancing efficiency and promoting sustainable development through innovative technologies over the years. Ms Wong added that CAD, with a mission to safeguard aviation safety, is committed to building a safe, efficient and sustainable world-class air transport system. While ensuring that aviation operations are safe, reliable, orderly and efficient, CAD is also actively promoting carbon reduction with smart technologies. In future, CAD will continue its efforts to support Hong Kong to move towards the target of carbon neutrality.
In recent years, CAD has introduced innovative technologies and implemented a host of measures to support Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. These measures include adopting the Two-phase Immersion Cooling, which significantly enhances energy efficiency of data-processing systems; introducing an AI energy optimisation system to improve central air-conditioning control and energy management; and implementing the Approach Spacing Management System to optimise aircraft arrival arrangements so as to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
In addition, CAD has installed a range of green facilities at its headquarters and outstations to promote low-carbon operations on all fronts, including the installation of solar panels and electric vehicle charging facilities. CAD is also conducting trial application of Passive Radiative Cooling Paint at the facilities of outstations so as to lower building temperatures and reduce the need for air-conditioning.
The Sustainable Carbon Neutral Award assesses participants across four areas, including resource management, innovation and creativity, environmental impact and partner synergy. All entries undergo a comprehensive three-stage assessment process, in which the judging panel identifies organisations that demonstrate tangible results and long-term commitment to sustainable practices.
The Civil Aviation Department today (October 29) was awarded the Sustainable Carbon Neutral Award - Grand Award in the Public Utility category at the presentation ceremony of the CLP Smart Energy Award 2026. Photo shows the Director-General of Civil Aviation, Ms Clara Wong (left) attended the ceremony to receive the award. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Statement by ExCo Non-official Members
The following is issued on behalf of the Executive Council Secretariat:
Non-official Members of the Executive Council (ExCo Non-official Members) today (October 29) issued the following statement on the Government's follow-up work in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court:
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today released the report of the Independent Committee in relation to the fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po. The Chief Executive and Principal Officials also held a press conference to give an account of relevant matters to the public. ExCo Non-official Members expressed full support for the Government in facing up to the problems, shouldering responsibility, and pursuing comprehensive reforms.
The Convenor of ExCo Non-official Members, Mrs Regina Ip, said, "The Chief Executive and Principal Officials have clearly explained to the public the Government's follow-up work, and, on behalf of the HKSAR Government, apologised to the residents of Wang Fuk Court and the community, demonstrating sincerity and political commitment. The Chief Executive also called on his team to continue to give their utmost in their respective positions in pressing ahead with various reforms and the extensive work ahead, while drawing lessons from the incident and better exercising leadership to step up the implementation of the result-oriented governing approach. I support this position."
"The Government's plans to implement comprehensive reform on the basis of the Independent Committee's report are comprehensive and pragmatic, addressing the crux of the issues. I concur with the seven major directions of systemic reform put forward by the Government. These include combatting bid-rigging in building maintenance and renovation projects, establishing a cross-departmental task force to combat crimes related to bid-rigging in such projects, establishing a Building Maintenance Support and Services Council, reforming the operation and regulatory system for building maintenance and renovation, reforming the structure of the Buildings Department, establishing a centralised data system and reforming the complaint mechanism, and establishing a steering committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration to follow up on the Independent Committee's recommendations."
As regards accountability, the Government has demonstrated its determination to pursue responsibility comprehensively and enforce accountability at various levels. On criminal liability, law enforcement authorities have successively instituted prosecutions against the companies and individuals involved in the incident. The Government has also initiated the Administrative Responsibility Two-tier Investigation Mechanism under the Heads of Department Accountability System, and is strictly following up on the administrative responsibility of the civil servants concerned. As for political accountability, the Chief Executive, having considered a wide range of factors, decided that the Secretary for Housing should take political accountability, and has accepted the Secretary's resignation.
The fire at Wang Fuk Court has exposed a number of long-standing inadequacies at different systemic levels, and the issues involved are complex and intertwined. Properly addressing these issues requires firm resolve as well as precise and decisive decision-making. ExCo Non-official Members will give their full support to the Government in taking forward comprehensive reforms and will continue to fully support its governance. ExCo Non-official Members firmly believe that, as long as society works together with dedication to turn grief into the strength to move forward, learns from the experience, and thoroughly implements systemic reforms, similar incidents can certainly be prevented, making Hong Kong a safer and better home.
