Buildings in Hong Kong consume about 89% of electricity used territory-wide and are a major source of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Enhancing energy efficiency in buildings is therefore an area where significant energy savings and reduction in GHG emissions can be made. (Source EPD 2008)
In order to make our buildings more energy efficient it is critical to gain the support not only of developers and landlords but also of architects, planners, engineers, surveyors, contractors, property managers, corporate real estate, researchers and government. Their involvement is crucial not only in the making of the building, but just as importantly in managing them.
The Hong Kong Government’s Environment and Conservation Fund will allocate HK$450 million for non-profit organisations which manage private buildings to conduct energy/carbon audits and energy efficiency improvement projects. It is expected that over 1,600 projects will be subsidised. This will also create business opportunities for related sectors and it is hoped that owners of private buildings will make good use of the funding scheme to improve energy efficiency.
The Business Case for Green Buildings (Source: WBCSD)
According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBSCD), the business case for greener buildings is well established. A US study, for example, found that certified green buildings cost 1.8% more to design and construct, but yield 20% cost savings over the life of the building.
Obstacles encountered while achieving these benefits include fragmented ownership and incentives, short-term decision making and isolated procurement processes. A significant problem is split incentives where the party who pays for a more energy efficient building is different from the party who benefits from the saving in energy used.
- Cost savings from more efficient use of energy and resources, in both construction and use of buildings
- Better buildings, which provide healthy and productive accommodation
- Reduced risk through assurance that best practice management is achieved
- Effective markets, as companies are able to give assurance of the green credentials of their buildings and tenants and buyers are able to communicate their preferences
- Regulatory preparedness for both local and international standards.
Hong Kong’s Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM) helps overcome these barriers by providing a systematic, locally relevant approach to including environmental performance and energy efficiency in the planning, design, construction, operation, management and marketing of buildings. The scheme has helped encourage innovative design and construction practices and stimulated local supplies of environmentally friendly building materials previously unavailable in Hong Kong, including sustainable timber, low-toxicity paints and ozone-friendly insulation. For more information on BEAM click here - http://www.bec.org.hk/eng/hkbeam.aspx
Green Buildings in Hong Kong
Three Pacific Place
Three Pacific Place, Swire properties' 34-storey grade A office, reduced construction waste by 15% through effective design modeling. By adopting energy-efficiency measures, such as installation of capacitor banks and variable frequency drives, the building operators have realised annual savings in electric bills of about HK$1million, or 8% of annual operational energy costs. The building has the highest BEAM rating. |
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Sunny Bay MTR
The Sunny Bay MTR station has no air conditioning, but rather makes use of the natural environment to control the temperature and lighting inside. |
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Ma Wan School
This BIPV school project- sponsored by Innovation and Technology Fund and CLP Research Institute, explores different PV technologies as integrated building components in Hong Kong's built environment |
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