Office tower gets a world-class green renovation
A Wan Chai office tower is being retrofitted with green features that will cut its water and energy consumption, and provide parking spaces for electric cars. And when renovation works are completed in 2012, it will be the first old building in Hong Kong to have an internationally recognised 'green label'.
The China Resources Building is one of nine buildings in the city registered for the Leed certification awarded by a US industry group.
Renovation of the 25-year-old building on Harbour Road - owned by China Resources Property - started this month and will cost about HK$600 million.
The retrofitted 50-storey building will have its water consumption cut by 30 per cent, power use by more than 10 per cent and carbon dioxide emission by 7.5 per cent. About 75 per cent of the waste generated during the renovation, such as steel, glass and packaging, will be recycled.
Savings on its energy bill are expected to top HK$1.6 million a year.
The building will be fitted with coated-glass windows that will cut half of the heat transmitted, thus reducing the use of air conditioning. A green roof - planted with native species so that less water is needed - will further reduce heat.
About 30 of its 600 parking spaces will also be designated for electric and hybrid cars, and the building could be equipped with universal chargers when they become available on the market, said Wing Ho, a senior engineer at Arup, the consultant for the project.
Buildings in Hong Kong are not required to go through a green assessment, but developers that wish to enhance the value of their properties can seek a green-label rating from the Building Environmental Assessment Method. Beam has been criticised for being outdated and is being reviewed by the Hong Kong Professional Green Building Council.
The Leed system, developed by the US Green Building Council, is recognised as a stricter measurement.
