Hong Kong's showcase for intelligent living concepts, the Integer Pavilion, was the venue for the In and Green Inventions Fair recently

Energy-saving ideas from inventors in four countries were on display at Hong Kong's first ever In and Green Inventions Fair.

Gadgets as diverse as a washing machine that doesn't need detergent, a fuel-saving engine and an electricity system that produces power from the ocean waves were showcased recently at the Integer Hong Kong Pavilion, a research and demonstration joint venture by the Hong Kong and UK governments to test green and intelligent living concepts.

The fair was organised by Hong Kong Inventors' Association (HKIA), a member of the International Federation of Inventors Associations in Switzerland.

"By teaming up with the Integer Hong Kong Pavilion, our talented inventors can show the public that they not only support Hong Kong's role as a centre for innovation and technology, but that they also contribute to a healthier living environment in Hong Kong," said Cheung King-fung, chairman of the HKIA.

HKIA plays a key role in promoting the significance of inventions and innovation in the economic development of the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Cheung added. Many of its members have received recognition for outstanding entries in local and international invention competitions.

	Inventor Louis Lui Lai-Chuen shows how rubber can be recycled into wall or floor linings in a product he helped develop as part of a team from City University

The In and Green Inventions Fair saw the participation of over 40 inventors from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, as well as several "virtual" exhibits, presented via the Internet, from overseas inventors in the US, UK and Hungary.

Louis Lui Lai-Chuen, vice-chairman of the HKIA, said some of the inventions have already been commercialised, such as the earthquake alarm now used in some apartment homes in the mainland. Hong Kong Polytechnic University demonstrated its paving bricks made from construction waste, which have been installed at four public sites in Hong Kong, along with its air purifier that has two applications in Macau and Guangzhou, on the mainland.

Another exhibitor, City University of Hong Kong, showed its lightweight pavers made out of the fire ash from power stations, also in use at a number of sites in Hong Kong.

Related links:
In and Green Inventions Fair www.integer.com.hk
Hong Kong Inventors' Association www.hkia.com.hk
International Federation of Inventors Associations www.invention-ifia.ch
Hong Kong Polytechnic University www.polyu.edu.hk
City University of Hong Kong www.cityu.edu.hk