Media

HKU Centennial Campus receives LEED Platinum certification
for high performance green buildings

26 Mar 2013

 

The Centennial Campus of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has been awarded the highest performance Platinum certification under LEED 2009 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for New Construction and Major Renovations, in recognition of its high standard reached in terms of green features and energy efficiency.

The LEED rating system is developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the foremost program in the field for identifying high performance green buildings in terms of their design, construction and operation.

HKU is the first higher education institution in Hong Kong to have earned the top rating, and is the second organisation in the territory to have buildings achieving the highest standard. It has put HKU on the list of top world universities that have buildings designed to be efficient and have a lower impact on their environment.

The certification has been granted to the Centennial Campus in January 2013 in recognition of its high performance reached in six areas of assessment including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, indoor environmental quality and innovation in designs. It underlines the University’s commitment to sustainability and to setting a good example with a living experiment for its teaching and learning.

Sustainability and innovative features of the Campus includes the careful positioning of buildings to capture natural light, breezes and storm water; installation of renewable energy devices for electricity generation and demonstration purposes; and preservation of the natural setting through the relocation of water reservoirs underground and into the adjoining rock cavern.

The campus landscape is integrated into the site’s natural setting. Landscaped spaces such as green roofs, sky gardens and courtyards are incorporated as integral parts of the campus’s learning facilities. Energy efficient building systems include a displacement air-conditioning system, chilled-water storage tank, variable speed chillers and lift regenerative power, among others. Systems to conserve water include low-flow taps, water-saving irrigation pipes, recycling of condensate water from air-conditioning systems, and greywater and stormwater treatment.

HKU Centennial Campus website: http://www4.hku.hk/cecampus/eng/index.php .

For facts and figures about the Campus, please visit: http://www.cpao.hku.hk/media/130326_fact_sheet.pdf

For photos of the greening and sustainability features, please visit: http://www4.hku.hk/photos/index.php/for_media_only/gallery/

More details on the sustainability features of the Centennial Campus are available in an Hong Kong Engineer article published in January 2013 entitled: “Buildings that teach: HKU’s Centennial Campus”:
http://www.hkengineer.org.hk/program/home/article.php?aid=6880&volid=151

For media enquiries, please contact Ms Trinni Choy (Assistant Director (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) Tel: 2859 2606 email: pychoy@hku.hk  or Ms Melanie Wan (Senior Manager (Media), Communications and Public Affairs Office) Tel: 2859 2600 email: melwkwan@hku.hk .