Page 24 - Hong Kong Green School Guide
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Hong Kong Green School Guide
1. Introduction - 1.2 Benefits of Green Schools
22
Carbon Footprint of Hong Kong Millennium Schools
In general, the form of primary and secondary millennium schools in Hong
Kong is in L shape and U shape, respectively. A school consisting of 30
standard classrooms with the following floor areas, school can estimate their
carbon footprint based on their energy consumption as follows:
Primary School
Secondary School
Net Operating
Floor Areas
~6,200 m
2
~8,200 m
2
Annual Energy
Consumption &
CO
2
Emissions
Equivalent
52 kWh/m
2
/year
36 tonnes/m
2
/year
59 kWh/m
2
/year
42 tonnes/m
2
/year
Annual CO
2
Emissions
223,200 tonnes/year
344,400 tonnes/year
1.2.3 Cost Effective Operation
Source: The Hong Kong Institute of Education. (2012). From Rooftop Schools to Post-
Millennium Schools: The Post-War Evolution of School Buildings in Hong Kong. Leaflet
session presented at exhibition of the Hong Kong Museum of Education. Retrieved 1 June,
2012, from
8
Kats, G. (2006). GreeningAmerica’s Schools: Cost and Benefits. Washington, DC: Capital E.
9
Kats, G. (2003). GreenBuildingCosts andFinancial Benefits. Boston, MA: TheMassachusettsTechnologyCollaborative.
The initial cost of creating a green school is
usually higher than those of conventionally
designed buildings, but the difference can
be offset through reduced energy and water
consumption, and therefore lowered operating
costs.
According to “Greening America’s Schools:
Costs and Benefits 2006”
8
, while a green school
costs on average around 2%, or about US$32
(around HK$256) per square metre more to
build than a conventional school, the long-term
financial savings are 20 times higher.
The expectation of lower operating cost is one of the key motivating factors for
adoption of green schools. In fact, green schools generally operate an average
25-30%
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more efficiently than conventional schools, hence lower operating
costs. The monetary savings incurred through cutting down operational costs,
including maintenance costs, could be passed on to the development of
environmental education for students.
