How green can you be in Hong Kong? Conservation group's office shows the way
An environment-friendly office doesn't have to cost more upfront, as Conservation International's Green Sky office refit shows, and it should save money in the long run
Despite escalating energy costs, one 1,200 sq ft Hong Kong office with four staff members manages to operate all day for a monthly electricity bill of HK$449 (excluding air conditioning).
"It's not rocket science," says Jude Wu, managing director of Conservation International Hong Kong. It is, rather, a matter of careful, creative, intelligent design - and prioritising trade-offs.
The not-for-profit outfit Wu heads is part of global operation Conservation International, established in 1987 to improve human well-being through the care of nature. It expanded to Hong Kong last year when Wu moved from Washington, DC to take the reins.
It is important for an environmental NGO to walk the sustainability talk, but at the same time budgets are scrutinised. Conservation International was fortunate to receive private funding to outfit its office in Windsor House, Causeway Bay, Wu said, for while its work focuses on nature campaigns and projects, "the organisation is equally committed to minimising its own environmental footprint for a greener Hong Kong".
Called Green Sky, the office opened in May 2015 as the first in Hong Kong to achieve platinum rating in Hong Kong Green Building Council's BEAM Plus Interiors programme, the standard recognising the most eco-conscious spaces in the city.