The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) today (May 8) held the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Certificate Award Ceremony to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the IAQ Certification Scheme and commend over 1 000 premises for their efforts in enhancing IAQ during the past year, with 635 premises achieving Excellent Class IAQ and 284 premises achieving Good Class IAQ. Special awards were also presented to premises that have continuously been part of the Scheme for 10, 15 or 20 years, as well as the top 10 organisations with the highest participation rates, in appreciation of their support and contributions to enhancing IAQ.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, said, "Maintaining good IAQ is very important for safeguarding personal health as many people in Hong Kong spend a substantial amount of their time indoors every day. We are deeply grateful for the support of the participating premises owners and property management companies in the Scheme, setting an important example within their sectors and helping raise awareness and reinforce the importance of improving IAQ among the community. The EPD will continue to actively promote the Scheme and encourage more organisations to join."
Dr Chui added that the IAQ objectives introduced in 2019, which include tightening the concentration levels of carbon monoxide, respirable suspended particulates and radon, will be fully implemented on July 1, 2024, after the five-year transition period. It is believed that the IAQ of the participating premises will be further enhanced.
The EPD launched the Scheme in 2003 to promote good IAQ management practices. In the past 20 years, the number of premises participating in the Scheme has been increasing steadily, covering various types of premises including office buildings, shopping malls, clubhouses, educational institutions, hotels and other public places. As at the end of 2023, more than 2 100 premises in Hong Kong have obtained IAQ certificates, representing an approximately 25-fold growth rate compared to the number in 2004, demonstrating that the community is increasingly placing importance on IAQ management.
At the ceremony, the former General Manager of Green Living and Innovation Division of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, Mr Raymond Fong, was invited to speak about the past, present and future development of IAQ in Hong Kong. Representatives of organisations that have been participating in the Scheme for 20 years also shared with audiences their experiences in maintaining good IAQ, and provided insights on the adoption of new IAQ objectives for certification.
​Organisations or individuals interested in joining or having a better understanding of the Scheme can obtain more information from the IAQ Information Centre or via its dedicated website www.iaq.gov.hk.
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