Page 223 - The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) 香港綠色建築議會
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AGEING POPULATIONS CLIMATE RESILIENCE THE FUTURE IS GREEN
One thing that is certain about the human race In the future, climate will play a significant We hope that you have enjoyed reading our
is that populations will not only increase in the role in the fate of cities. Higher temperatures report. Hong Kong is our city and our home.
future but also get older. Ageing populations will mean that air-conditioning and control Faced with urban challenges that no other
are commensurate with urban development of the built environment will be stretched city in the world can envisage, we have made
as inhabitants grow older due to higher as cities adapt to hot weather. Also, as this place both a living city and a liveable city.
rates of longevity. In spite of increased births water will either be in abundance (flooding) Our future is firmly in our hands and greener
in rural parts of the world, it is well known or insufficient (droughts), water efficiency can only be better. To achieve this, we will:
that urban centres are facing the opposite should be foremost on sustainable building
dilemma, with shrinking birth rates in cities. design standards, on a similar level of priority • acknowledge and advance the
Hong Kong is no exception with a projection as energy. For cities like Hong Kong, which contributions of buildings for a sustainable
of one person in three being over 65 years are dependent on a hinterland for water built environment
old by 2041. This implies that a substantially supplies, this means that sustainable design
large proportion of old people will need to be in the future should be paying more attention • adopt the world’s best practices in
supported by a diminishing number of young to water recycling, rainwater harvesting and sustainable buildings
people. For sustainable building practitioners, grey water usage, as a precaution against the
this means that buildings must age gracefully disruption of supplies. • support the Government in formulating
with greying users and occupants. For policies and regulations to drive market
example, accessibility will be important in the The HKGBC is leading the climate mitigation transformation
future for elderly users, especially for office drive with more energy efficient buildings.
workers who want to work beyond retirement. This is complemented by initiatives • develop tools to facilitate the sustainable
Similarly, building owners and tenants who implemented by the power and transport development of our industry
wish to maintain their independence in their sectors. By cutting down on energy
twilight phases can continue to dwell in their consumption, changing Hong Kong’s fuel • educate industry practitioners and
original habitats instead of being displaced mix and developing more renewable the general public to enhance their
to elderly homes. The Government has active energy options, fossil fuel combustion will environmental consciousness
ageing and ‘ageing in place’ firmly on the hopefully be minimised, thus reducing carbon
agenda, and these will be followed through emissions and enabling Hong Kong to play its
in the coming years. role in stabilising worldwide greenhouse gas
levels. However, designing buildings in the
future will not just involve greening but also
weather proofing as Hong Kong, like many
other cities in the tropics, will experience
greater weather extremes such as typhoons
and severe storms. Buildings on the coast will
be under threat from sea level rises and storm
surges. All in all, this implies that Hong Kong’s
climate resilience needs to be founded on a
built environment that can withstand shock,
cope with emergency situations (imagine
ten thousand lifts breaking down due to a
power failure) and recover rapidly. As well
as protecting citizens, business continuity
is an imperative for Hong Kong’s position
and reputation as one of the world’s leading
financial centres and trade entrepôts.
HONG KONG REPORT ON THE STATE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014 221
One thing that is certain about the human race In the future, climate will play a significant We hope that you have enjoyed reading our
is that populations will not only increase in the role in the fate of cities. Higher temperatures report. Hong Kong is our city and our home.
future but also get older. Ageing populations will mean that air-conditioning and control Faced with urban challenges that no other
are commensurate with urban development of the built environment will be stretched city in the world can envisage, we have made
as inhabitants grow older due to higher as cities adapt to hot weather. Also, as this place both a living city and a liveable city.
rates of longevity. In spite of increased births water will either be in abundance (flooding) Our future is firmly in our hands and greener
in rural parts of the world, it is well known or insufficient (droughts), water efficiency can only be better. To achieve this, we will:
that urban centres are facing the opposite should be foremost on sustainable building
dilemma, with shrinking birth rates in cities. design standards, on a similar level of priority • acknowledge and advance the
Hong Kong is no exception with a projection as energy. For cities like Hong Kong, which contributions of buildings for a sustainable
of one person in three being over 65 years are dependent on a hinterland for water built environment
old by 2041. This implies that a substantially supplies, this means that sustainable design
large proportion of old people will need to be in the future should be paying more attention • adopt the world’s best practices in
supported by a diminishing number of young to water recycling, rainwater harvesting and sustainable buildings
people. For sustainable building practitioners, grey water usage, as a precaution against the
this means that buildings must age gracefully disruption of supplies. • support the Government in formulating
with greying users and occupants. For policies and regulations to drive market
example, accessibility will be important in the The HKGBC is leading the climate mitigation transformation
future for elderly users, especially for office drive with more energy efficient buildings.
workers who want to work beyond retirement. This is complemented by initiatives • develop tools to facilitate the sustainable
Similarly, building owners and tenants who implemented by the power and transport development of our industry
wish to maintain their independence in their sectors. By cutting down on energy
twilight phases can continue to dwell in their consumption, changing Hong Kong’s fuel • educate industry practitioners and
original habitats instead of being displaced mix and developing more renewable the general public to enhance their
to elderly homes. The Government has active energy options, fossil fuel combustion will environmental consciousness
ageing and ‘ageing in place’ firmly on the hopefully be minimised, thus reducing carbon
agenda, and these will be followed through emissions and enabling Hong Kong to play its
in the coming years. role in stabilising worldwide greenhouse gas
levels. However, designing buildings in the
future will not just involve greening but also
weather proofing as Hong Kong, like many
other cities in the tropics, will experience
greater weather extremes such as typhoons
and severe storms. Buildings on the coast will
be under threat from sea level rises and storm
surges. All in all, this implies that Hong Kong’s
climate resilience needs to be founded on a
built environment that can withstand shock,
cope with emergency situations (imagine
ten thousand lifts breaking down due to a
power failure) and recover rapidly. As well
as protecting citizens, business continuity
is an imperative for Hong Kong’s position
and reputation as one of the world’s leading
financial centres and trade entrepôts.
HONG KONG REPORT ON THE STATE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014 221
