The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Patrick Nip, visited the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) today (August 27) to learn more about the department's experiences in applying technology to enhance its services and efficiency and its latest developments.

     Mr Nip also took the opportunity to meet with two young participants of the Youth Work Experience Programme organised by the Child Development Initiative Alliance to better understand their internship experience at the EMSD.

     Accompanied by the Permanent Secretary for the Civil Service, Mrs Ingrid Yeung, Mr Nip first met with the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Pang Yiu-hung, and the directorate staff to get an update on the department's work in the regulation of electrical and mechanical (E&M) safety, promotion of energy efficiency and the provision of E&M engineering services to government departments and public organisations, as well as the challenges confronting them.

     "This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Trading Fund. As a service provider, we should adopt new thinking and new perspectives to bring a safe and energy-efficient smart living environment through E&M innovation so as to enhance living quality and bring benefits and convenience to the public," Mr Nip said.

     Mr Nip then visited the Regional Digital Control Centre to learn more about how colleagues employ digital technologies to conduct remote monitoring of the operating status of E&M equipment at various locations to alleviate the need for frontline colleagues to conduct site visits, thus allowing the department to deploy manpower more flexibly and enhancing the energy efficiency of operating equipment through data analysis. For example, the EMSD installed a remote monitoring system for the medical fridges storing the COVID-19 vaccines and E&M equipment at the Community Vaccination Centres (CVCs) to ensure that the vaccines are properly stored in the fridge at an appropriate temperature.

     He also received a briefing at the ai Store on how colleagues integrate the smart store management system with innovative technologies in enhancing the workflow with the use of an Automated Guided Vehicle and e-lockers to enhance the storage capacity and operation efficiency of the store.

     When visiting the E&M InnoZone where the collection of exhibits, covering applications like Internet of Things, automated technology and artificial intelligence, jointly developed by the EMSD and local universities, start-ups and research institutions are showcased, Mr Nip learnt that the EMSD and its collaboration partners have assisted government departments and public organisations in tackling various E&M engineering challenges by harnessing the use of innovative technologies.

     Meanwhile, the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) has rendered strong support to the training for grassroots youth and the work of the Child Development Fund which aims to nurture youngsters and to tackle intergenerational poverty. Through promotion and liaison by the CSB, some 70 students from grassroots families participating in the Youth Work Experience Programme have earlier taken up internship placements in 24 government departments and organisations. Meeting with two of the participants today, Mr Nip said he was pleased to know that they were able to widen their horizons and accumulate practical work experience through the internship.

     Before concluding his visit, Mr Nip met with staff representatives of various grades to exchange views on matters that concerned them. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the EMSD has been providing support to the Government's anti-epidemic efforts, including offering technical support at CVCs.

Ends/Friday, August 27, 2021
Issued at HKT 17:45

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