Media Centre

Organised by Chinachem Group (the Group) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC), the Chinachem Group Sustainability Conference 2021 was held on 7 May. Carrying the theme Creating a Sustainable and Healthy Community for All Ages, the conference featured 12 renowned local and overseas speakers from government organisations, academia and the architectural, technology and financial sectors. They were invited to share and explore multi-dimensional solutions to shape a smart city for all ages, drawing also on insights learnt from the current pandemic. The conference was attended by around 300 representatives and experts from various industries.

Hong Kong’s Secretary for Development Michael Wong, JP, attended as the official guest. Speakers from Hong Kong included Donald Choi, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Chinachem Group; Ginger Kiang, Deputy Director of Planning/ Territorial, Planning Department; Ben Lui, Executive Director (Operations), Urban Renewal Authority; Vivien Mak, Group Director, P&T Group; Rina Ko, Registered Architect and Research Associate, CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong; Dr Ernest Lo, President, Hong Kong Internet of Things Alliance; and Raymond Li, JP, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, The Hong Kong Mortgage Corporation. 

“The Chief Executive set out a target in the 2020 Policy Address to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Sustainability is an important policy consideration of the Development Bureau which is working to turn Hong Kong into a greener and more liveable city. While we need more iconic sustainable building designs in the city, knowledge exchange, education and public participation also matter. We look forward to join hands with all sectors and individuals in the society to achieve this goal together,” Mr Wong said.

“In line with the Government’s ‘Hong Kong 2030+: Towards a Planning Vision and Strategy Transcending 2030’ report, the Group is committed to catering to the increasing housing needs of an ageing society by bringing together the efforts of all sectors. With an aim to improve the quality of life across generations, including the retired, we hope to build more liveable neighbourhoods and a more inclusive city,” Mr Choi said. He added that the vision of building an inclusive community advocated by experts from different sectors would encourage knowledge exchange about people of different abilities and interests, foster mutual respect and promote diversified values within the community.

In collaboration with CUHK Jockey Club Institute of Ageing, the Group is conducting a study to formulate the “Residential Design Guide for Healthy Ageing in Hong Kong” which is expected to be published in 2024. Interim reports would also be issued. The study aims to be a standard reference for the construction industry in Hong Kong and overseas. Meanwhile, the institute suggests a series of age-friendly architectural elements for the Group’s new residential projects. 

Attending the conference as moderators for two separate panel discussions were Professor Ng Mee-kam, Vice-chairman, Department of Geography and Resource Management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong; and Ling Kar-kan, SBS, Director of the Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation and Professor of Practice (Planning) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Two internationally renowned speakers Jürg Weibel, Managing Director, Stiftung Zeitvorsorge from Switzerland, and Dr Gea Sijpkes, CEO, Humanitas Deventer from the Netherlands, were invited to share international case studies. 

Cheung Hau-wai, SBS, Chairman of Hong Kong Green Building Council said, “Being able to discuss the topic of a healthy ageing community at the conference is both critical and timely. Hong Kong Green Building Council is committed to promoting and improving the city’s development and level of sustainable buildings. In particular, barrier-free facilities, healthy and comfortable indoor and outdoor environments, and inclusive elements are not only part of the core assessment aspects of BEAM Plus, our assessment tool for building sustainability performance, but also the key to facilitating the development of a sustainable and healthy community for all ages. By working closely with the government and different sectors, the Council endeavours to build a more sustainable and liveable city.”