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Healthy ageing for all in green environment explored at Chinachem Sustainability Conference 2021

Government officials and thought-leaders from diverse fields shared original, multi-dimensional solutions for healthy ageing in a wholesome environment and community at the “Chinachem Sustainability Conference” held recently.

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Sustainable and healthy living for all ages in Hong Kong seems no longer a pipe dream as progress has been made towards this goal in the collective efforts of the government, developers, academics and various organisations. Well-developed guidelines and innovative plans were shared at the event, a platform for the stakeholders to exchange expertise and insights, and explore creative solutions for healthy living and an ‘age-caring’ community for all age groups in the city. An ageing population is the biggest challenge confronting Hong Kong: latest government projections indicate that one in three Hongkongers will be 65 years or above by 2039. The elderly population will remain at over 2.5 million for at least 30 years. This makes the development of green, age-caring residences – as an integral part of a sustainable and healthy lifestyle-promoting community – a top priority. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide has further underscored the importance of an environment conducive to healthy living for all.  

From an architect’s perspective, Group Director, P & T Group, Vivien Mak, provoked some thinking among the audience with her salient points on how ‘health-caring’ designs in an age-friendly, people-centric urban environment would promote healthy active ageing. “It’s about empowerment for the elderly to be active. The elimination of barriers enhances streets’ walkability. Accessibility and connectedness in a community foster resilience and social and mental well-being,” said Mak, who is part of the team compiling the “Elderly-friendly Design Guidelines” for the Architectural Services Department of the HKSAR. Under the theme “Creating a Sustainable and Healthy Community for All Ages”, the conference held on May 7 featured 12 prominent local and overseas speakers from various government organisations, financial and technology industries and academia. It attracted over 300 representatives from various sectors. Inaugurated in 2019, the conference was organised by Chinachem Group and co-organised by the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC).

Government initiatives
The Hong Kong Government envisioned a healthy lifestyle-promoting and sustainable environment in the “Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030” study. Deputy Director of Planning/Territorial, Planning Department, HKSAR, Ginger Kiang, believed this environment helped nurture the physical, mental and social well-being of people of all ages. The plan outlined various dimensions of urban areas’ liveability applied to our daily life. Government-level urban planning and design would emphasise the support for an active lifestyle, encouraging walking, cycling and exercise with activity destinations. Neighbourhoods would foster active lifestyle and community connectedness with pedestrian realms, plazas and open space. Buildings would incorporate green features at street level for better walking experience, as well as active space and facilities such as sky gardens. Staircases within buildings and footbridges would be part of the active route.

Panel discussion: How to Set Scene for Paving the Way to an Age-friendly Community

Carbon neutrality in Hong Kong by 2050 was set out in the Chief Executive’s 2020 Policy Address. Hong Kong's Secretary for Development Michael Wong believed the city had been on the path towards building a green city, citing the growing group of iconic sustainable buildings that inspired professionals and educated the public. Meanwhile, “small things do matter”, Wong told the audience. For instance, the city recently opened a 60-kilometre cycling trail from Tuen Mun to Ma On Shan. As part of its ongoing harbourfront enhancement scheme, the government continued to repurpose stretches of waterfront areas and convert them into promenades for public recreation.

The Third Generation Gives Time to the Fourth Generation presented by Jürg WEIBEL, Managing Director of Stiftung Zeitvorsorge (Switzerland)

Innovations by developers

An increasing number of new residential developments in Hong Kong have incorporated elderly-friendly features for healthy and smart living. Chinachem Group’s new residential projects will feature spacious units equipped with smart technologies and optimum ventilation in the bathrooms. The design is also aimed at building a community with lots of green open space and public amenities for all ages. The group’s ultimate goal was to enable people to age healthily in their own homes, said Donald Choi, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Chinachem Group. “In line with the “Hong Kong 2030+” plan, we are committed to satisfying the housing needs of an ageing society by bringing together the efforts of all sectors.”

As part of its ongoing contribution to building a healthy-living community for all, Chinachem Group has been conducting a five-year research study to formulate the “Residential Design Guide for Healthy Ageing in Hong Kong” in collaboration with CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing. The guidelines will be published as an open-source design manual in 2024 as a standard reference for the local and overseas construction industry. “Our aim is to improve the quality of life across generations, including the retired. We strive to build liveable and inclusive neighbourhoods in Hong Kong,” Choi added.

Echoing Choi’s sentiment was Chairman of HKGBC, Cheung Hau-wai. Barrier-free facilities, healthy and comfortable indoor and outdoor environments and community-inclusive elements were not only part of the core assessment aspects of BEAM Plus, the council’s assessment tool for building sustainability performance, Cheung said. “They are also the keys to facilitating the development of a sustainable and healthy community for all ages.”

Preserving familiarity

Some senior citizens appreciate the familiarity of their own neighbourhoods which form part of their collective memory. While streets and open spaces were being upgraded to become barrier-free and more walkable, rehabilitation of some aged buildings could be a viable, efficient alternative to redevelopment in terms of preserving a neighbourhood’s distinctive character. Executive Director (Operations) of the Urban Renewal Authority, Ben Lui, believed that maintaining the well-being of the city’s existing housing stock, particularly in densely populated districts, was one of the keys to a safe and healthy community. “Rehabilitation helps prolong buildings’ life. There are many well-maintained residences over 70 or 80 years old overseas,” Lui said, adding that URA helped rehabilitate nearly 4,300 buildings in the city from 2004 to 2020. “It’s essential that preventive maintenance and regular inspections be conducted when buildings are in relatively good condition,” he noted.

Developing comprehensive urban planning and designing buildings for the elderly’s healthy ageing would come naturally from our desire to treat people with dignity, said Professor Ng Mee-kam, Vice-chairman, Department of Geography and Resource Management, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. “If the urban environment is good for the elderly, it would be good for all,” she added.

Chinachem’s new residential projects will feature spacious units equipped with smart technologies and optimum ventilation in the bathrooms.

 

 
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