CTBC Financial Holding Co (中信金控) was on Tuesday last week awarded the 2020 Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) Award of Excellence in Energy Management by the UN Industrial Development Organization, becoming the first financial institution in the world to receive the award.
The award was conferred at a digital conference held during the CEM11 meeting in Saudi Arabia, with Indian Minister of New and Renewable Energy Raj Kumar Singh presenting the award to CTBC president Daniel Wu (吳一揆).
CTBC said it has always been dedicated to sustainable development, being the first firm in Taiwan’s financial industry to adopt the ISO 50001 standard for energy management in 2012.
Photo courtesy of CTBC Financial Holding Co
Wu said CTBC was greatly aided by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Taiwan Green Productivity Foundation during the crucial year of 2011, when the company implemented measures to meet the standard.
CTBC is adhering to the standard across all 194 branches in Taiwan, helping the company to manage even the most minute energy consumption, a CEM statement said, adding that CTBC is leading in the field of energy management and reduction of carbon emissions.
CTBC has also met two other standards by the British Standards Institution, a CEM statement said, adding that the firm’s energy management efficacy has increased 16 percent, saving 5,316 tonnes of carbon emissions.
“CTBC Financial would like to thank the CEM for drawing global attention to the company’s achievements,” Wu said, adding that the amount of carbon emissions saved equals 13.7 times the amount that all vegetation in Taipei’s Daan Forest Park (大安森林公園) absorbs in a year.
To meet the ISO standard, the company has installed two sets of solar panels at its headquarters in Taipei’s Nangang District (南港), the company said.
The panels, covering 699m2, provided 63,865 kilowatts (kW) of energy last year and covered the energy usage of its public facilities, it said.
All lighting outside CTBC branches is equipped with daylight sensors, and the air-conditioning at less frequently used facilities automatically switches off 30 minutes before closure of the branch, it said, adding that branch offices hold monthly meetings on energy conservation targets.
Other energy saving measures include motion-sensor lights installed on aisles inside office buildings and water-saving wash basins inside restrooms, CTBC said.
Last year, the company conserved 2.03 million kW of energy and saved 1,085 tonnes of greenhouse gases.
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