Industry codes adopted by the construction sector spell out recommendations on the materials, design features and installations needed to meet higher environmental standards. However, companies with a far-sighted commitment to sustainability realise that is just one piece of the jigsaw.
From design to site management, new roles in the construction industry are emerging as companies look for more comprehensive ways to make their practices sustainable. These companies see that it is possible to be greener in virtually every area of operations, understanding that effective change is a matter of incremental steps, logical thinking and viewing the big picture.
'One of the critical issues for sustainability is that people need to start with the end in mind,' said Shirlee Algire, group sustainability and corporate social responsibility manager for Gammon Construction. 'We have set up a system to measure the impact of our work and what we can influence through things like procurement and on-site practices.'
She noted that the company's HK$1.5 billion redevelopment of the Hennessy Centre in Causeway Bay was a good example of how to apply green principles in every aspect of a project.
Work on the 36-storey retail and office building, which will have a total gross floor area of 710,000 sqft, is due for completion in late 2011.
The design will use natural light and ventilation, have green spaces to reduce heat and use double-glazing for greater energy efficiency. These features - and others - will allow the building to achieve the platinum level under the United States-supervised Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design scheme and meet the highest requirements of Hong Kong's Building Environmental Assessment Method.