HKQAA Symposium 2008 - Green Day

HKQAA Symposium 2008 was held from 10th to 12th December 2008. The theme was called “Social Challenges and Business Opportunities Managing Long Term Success”. I joined one of sessions entitled “Green Infrastructures and Buildings” and summarized as follows.

Firstly, Dr. Mok presented a souvenir to Ms. Anissa Wong (Permanent Secretary of the Environment, the Government of the HKSAR) who gave the Opening Speech.

Ir. C.S. Ho (Chief Building Service Engineer, HKHA) was the first speaker for his topic entitled “Need for Greening”. He explained the growing concern of environmental issues and their consequences. Business and operational strategies went Greening. He also listed the benefits of Greening as follows:
- Demonstrate corporate environmental responsibility
- Reduce operational costs
- Enhance building value and increase profits
- Optimize life cycle performance of buildings
- Open market for new, green technology, products and services
- Reduce pollution
He said we cannot “Green Outside, but Red Inside!”

The second speaker, Mr. Conrad Wong (Chairman, Committee on Environment and Technology, Construction Industry Council) gave a talk called “Green Construction – a New Trend”.
He said “Think Globally, Act Locally”. Then he introduced Construction Industry Council (CIC) which was an information hub for exchange of information, a platform for discussion on different issues relating to industry and community.
He also described Green Construction – New Trends in technical aspects as follows:
i) Low or Zero Carbon Housing Development
ii) New City Planning Methods
iii) Clean Air Technologies & Reduce Green House Gas Emission
iv) Renewable and Green Energy
v) Strengthening the Building Standard & Energy Codes

Ir. Ronald Chin (Assistant Director (Building Services) of Architectural Services Department, HKSAR) was the third speaker and his topic was “Greening of Architectural Design”.

He stated the driver for Greening of Architectural Design through the path:
Climate change → Strong community pressure → To achieve sustainable development → Design for green building in the context of sustainable building

Architectural Services Department (ArchSD)’s Green Building Design and Planning adopted balanced approach, in delivering economically profitable, environmentally responsible, healthy, productive places for people to live and work in the course of developing our sustainable future.
Lastly, he introduced Post Occupancy Evaluation (POE) and its major tasks including:
i) Operational Performance Monitoring
ii) Energy Review
iii) Evaluation of New Technology

Then Mr. Alan Kwok (Director of Management Consulting and Sustainability, Arup) presented “Green Olympics”.

He introduced Olympics 2012 in Stratford, London. The commitments to Sustainability were:
“Towards a One Planet Olympic” vision in the bid
Sustainability Policy published in July 2007
Sustainability Plan published in November 2007
Goal: To leave a sustainable legacy
Finally, he said “Sustainability is a culture, not a program.”


Ir Otto Poon (Managing Director, Analogue Group of Companies) was the fifth speaker and his topic was “Energy Efficient E&M Facilities”.

He identified several common words as Energy, Carbon, Climate Change and Sustainable Development. Then he explained several technologies of E&M facilities for energy saving (i.e. Scale Control Technology, Thermal Energy Storage System, Lift & Escalator, etc.).
Finally, he gave 3 prospectives: Economy, Society and Environment, and he mentioned “Lifestyle can save energy by considering 3R (i.e. Rethink, Reduce and Reuse).

The last speaker was Dr. Francisco Vizeu Pinheiro, (1st Vice President, Macau Architects Association) and he presented “Green Works in Macau”.
He said “Concrete surface plus Asphalt is equal to Retain Heat and Pollutant” and showed “Great Wall” (Long line buildings) of Macau. The main consumption of Energy identified by the speaker was the use of air-conditioning.

Panel discussion was at the end.