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Green and Sustainable BuildingsDesign Criteria and Application in Hong Kong

Green building is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings use resources – energy, water and materials. At the same time, its design also aims to reduce building impacts on human health and the environment during the building's lifecycle, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and final removal.

Green buildings are designed to achieve these goals by:

• Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources • Protecting occupant health and improving employee

productivity • Reducing waste, pollution and environmental

degradation.

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There are various systems in the form of design standard or practice code worldwide to enhance the use of green building design. Usually their performance is based on certain sustainability criteria which are combined to assess the design effect. These criteria are in general covering:

1. Energy and CO2 Emissions – Operational Energy and emissions of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere

2. Water – The consumption of potable water from the public supply systems or other ground water resources.

3. Materials – The environmental impact of construction materials for key construction elements

4. Surface Water Run-off – The change in surface water run-off patterns as a result of the development.

5. Waste – Waste generated as a result of the construction process and facilities, encourage recycling of domestic waste at home.

6. Pollution – created from the operation of the dwelling.7. Health and Well-Being – The effects that the building

design and indoor environment has on its occupants.8. Management – Steps that have been taken to allow

good management of the environmental impacts of the construction and operation of the home.

9. Ecology – The impact of the dwelling or the final effects on the ecosystem, bio-diversity and land use.

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Yardstick reference as highlighted in a Hong Kong assessing system –

the HK BEAM (Building Environmental Assessment Methodapplicable both for new and existing buildings)

Aims of this the BEAM system :

Detail breakdown of such criteria:1. Definition

2. Site Aspects

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3. Material Aspects

4. Energy use

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5. Water use

6. Indoor Environmental Quality

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7. Innovation and Addition

Examples of building projects successfully obtained the assessment recognition

– Residential

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Selling point of this project:

1. Use of self-contained exterior lighting systems powered by renewable energy (solar lamp)

2. Facilities for waste water collection, recycling, and treatment for reuse in toilet flushing

3. Design with adequate natural light penetrates into living spaces

4. Semi-open basement carpark design, terrace garden and club house with landscape, skylight opening etc. to enhance natural ventilation and conserve energy consumption

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The green area inside the estate including a 1.2m long promenade and a theme park that open to general public is part of the Park Island Development

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Selling point – using large amount of prefabricated element, sunlight shade and sky garden etc.

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Example of building projects successfully obtained the assessment recognition

– Commercial

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Selling points of this project:

1. Emphasis the use of efficient construction method (climb form, modulated table formwork)

2. Smart system to control solar heat gain by light sensible blinds powered by photovoltaic roof panels

3. Provision of aluminum fins that bounce light up onto the angled ceiling to transmit more natural light into office but limiting solar heat

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Selling points of this project:1. Efficient structural design to minimize material used.2. Double glazing curtain wall panel with low e-coating for daylighting optimization3. Using sea water for cooling of air-conditioning system4. Centralized building management system to control performance of all M&E services

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Efficient structural design including the use of series of outriggers to stiffen the tower against wind resulted to saving about 15% of steel

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Compare structural efficiency

Lee Garden Hotel redevelopment in 1995 IFC in 2002

International Commerce Centre

West Kowloon

Developer

Harbor Vantage Ltd.

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One Island EastQuarry Bay

Developer

Swire Properties Ltd.

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Example of building projects successfully obtained the assessment recognition

– Community/Government projects

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Common features of these buildings (….. green elements as claimed by the designer/developer)

For developersIncorporation of green and environmental friendly design such as balcony, light shade, bay window, sky garden, green roof, provision of appropriate public facilities for users such as open space, common terrace with substantial green area, using of recycle materials in design, specify the use of energy efficient building services system, encourage use of clean method in construction, or employ life cycle design concept … etc.

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Common features of these buildings (….. green elements as claimed by the builders/contractors)

For buildersMaintain good site keeping system to ensure safety, tidiness, wastages kept to minimum, or the occurrence of any activity that generate consequences that harm the environment.Employ appropriate facilities to minimize such happening. From a technical sense, this usually includes, for examples:• water collection/treatment/recycle facilities• waste collection facilities and system• site personnel safety, security and control system

water collection/treatment/recycle equipment stationed on site

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Mud control system –wheel cleaning machine using recycled water

Site work under poor house-keeping arrangement

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Site with much improved house-keeping work layout

How about this site, the same one that was seen a day later

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Common features of these buildings

For builder, continue….• noise and dust control provision• material inventory control system• surplus concrete treatment/recycle system• use of efficient system formwork• use of environmental friendly materials• use of more precast elements to keep site clean• use of more dry work and prefabricated component• generally maintain a sound management system to

ensure every aspects of works can be performed to achieve these targets

Dry wall system to minimize wet works

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Using metal formwork to save timber from tropical forest –aluminum formwork system

Using metal formwork to save timber from tropical forest – steel form

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Using metal formwork to save timber from tropical forest – climb form with mechanical lifting devices

Using large amount of precast elements in building design and construction

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Project with 40% of precast elements by concrete volume

Project with 50% of precast elements by concrete volume

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Project with 80% of precast elements by concrete volume

Construction waste and use of material of recyclable nature

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conclusion

• Green building and sustainable design is an all-rounded concern including government policy, town planning, public funds, supply chain, products and services, market trend/fashion, commercial involvement and ethics, living habit, environmental education … etc.

• Which is the best practice for green design may have endless debate, but one thing for sure, be simple and back to basin, should be the universal truth to achieve a better sustainable future.

Thank you