Roxanne Li
Renowned for its towering skyscrapers and bustling cityscape, Hong Kong in recent years is also engaging in sustainable practices to pave the way for a greener future of urban living. The city's annual campaign Hong Kong Green Building Week gave the public ways to recognize awareness of local green buildings.
"Coorganized by the Construction Industry Council and the Hong Kong Green Building Council, the theme of Hong Kong Green Building Week 2023 is to 'Unite Green Building Powers, Fight for Carbon Neutrality by 2050,'" said Cheung Tin-cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council.
"The campaign includes a series of public activities revolving around four green building powers: health and wellbeing; resource efficiency; environmental friendliness; and innovative elements."
Elaborating on the powers, Cheung said: "Health and wellbeing refers to the people-oriented design of green buildings to create an environment that is livable and fosters a sense of well-being for residents and users. Resource efficiency means achieving higher efficiency in operations through energy conservation, water conservation, material efficiency, and waste reduction. Environmental friendliness states that green buildings are to coexist harmoniously with the local and global environment while providing benefits. And innovative elements refers to the new technologies applied."
The campaign kicked off in June with the Let's Unite! Green Building KOL Video Competition. It was followed by Biz Greens Dress Day in September, which encouraged employees from both private and public sectors to dress in lightweight and breathable attire for work.
Additionally, a green building exploration, Green Building Game Tour, took place at various locations, including Airside West Kowloon Cultural District, San Wai Sewage Treatment Works, and the InnoCell.
During the video competition, which took the lead in Green Building Week activities, participants were encouraged to take creative short videos of the designated buildings and highlight the green building powers of these locations.
"In my video, Green Scavenger Hunt, the audience is led to discover the four green powers in Che Kung Temple Sports Center and the treasures brought by green living in the process of treasure hunting," said Ng Tin-yan, a secondary six student who won the video competition in the public group category.
He researched the features of the Che Kung Temple Sports Center, which was designed as an "urban living room" incorporating green design concepts to provide a more comfortable experience.
In his work, he presented the design of the ventilation system for the building, the rainwater collection system on the rooftop aimed at water conservation, as well as the use of clean concrete instead of asphalt to minimize pollution and enhance the building's overall environmental friendliness.
"Young people are the future masters of our society. We need more commitment and responsibility to make our society better. Environmental protection and sustainable development are the main factors affecting our future life," Ng said.
The main focus of the campaign was the Green Building Game Tour led by four Captains Green in four designated green buildings. Participants also took part in workshops related to their chosen buildings, gardening classes, and STEAM workshops.
They also had the opportunity to enjoy outdoor yoga sessions in the relaxed surroundings of Airside's outdoor garden; create environmentally friendly air pineapple bonsai at the San Wai Sewage Treatment Works; or engage in crafting electric and remote-controlled pulley-arm vehicles at InnoCell.
"Through firsthand participation, the public would understand how nature and architecture can thrive together through green buildings, which incorporate energy conservation and decarbonization, bringing us closer to nature and inspiring a low carbon emission lifestyle," said Cheung.
He noted that "60 percent of carbon emissions in Hong Kong are generated from activities and operations within buildings.
"The city currently has over 42,000 existing buildings, making them a key focus for energy-saving and emissions-reduction efforts. These buildings possess the potential to cut electricity consumption by over 50 percent."
Green buildings, he said, play a vital role in achieving carbon neutrality.
"The Hong Kong Green Building Council is also striving to advance the application and adoption of green buildings in the local construction industry, contributing to a more sustainable urban development," he added.
roxanne.li@singtaonewscorp.com
