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Chinachem Group Sustainability Conference 2022, organised by Chinachem Group (the Group) and co-organised by the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC), was held yesterday (24 October) under the theme of “Creating Social Impact on the Zero Carbon Journey in Hong Kong”. Conducted both physically and online, this year’s conference attracted more than 1,700 participants and experts interested in working towards a zero-carbon community. The conference was graced by 15 eminent international and local speakers from the government, academia, and the architecture, technology and finance industries. Sharing their experiences and insights on green buildings, green finance and revitalisation of heritage buildings, the speakers updated the industry on the latest trends on sustainable development while co-creating a blueprint for making Hong Kong a more liveable city.

As one of Hong Kong’s leading developers, Chinachem upholds a people-centric philosophy, balancing people, prosperity and planet as its Triple Bottom Line. In the face of challenges of a rapidly ageing city, the Group remains dedicated to community building, placing social and environmental values on an equal footing to profit. With a commitment to create a more liveable environment and shared value for the community, the Group partnered with HKGBC again to organise the Sustainability Conference. Through this platform, the Group aspired not only to contribute to society, but also to draw greater industry and public attention to sustainable development with a view to building a more sustainable, liveable city together.

Chinachem Group Sustainability Conference 2022 was held at Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, with Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn delivering the opening remarks. 15 renowned speakers were invited, including local leaders: Donald Choi, Executive Director and CEO of Chinachem Group; Jim Taylor, Senior Director, Planning & Development of CLP Power Hong Kong; Kevin O’Brien, Chief Executive of Gammon Construction Limited; Dr Stephen Wong, Vice President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association; Jonathan Drew, Head of Global Banking Sustainability, Asia-Pacific of HSBC; Dr Thomas Tang, Executive Director, Land Supply/Municipal, Hong Kong of AECOM; Wong Kam Sing, Former Secretary for the Environment; Eric Poon, Executive Director, Commercial of Urban Renewal Authority, Dr Rocco Yim, renowned architect; Chin Chin Teoh, Director of Tai Kwun; Prof Stephen Tang, Head of Countryside Conservation Office; Vincent Ng, Chairman of Harbourfront Commission; and Cheung Hau-wai, Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council; and overseas experts who attended online: Prof Tai Lee-siang, Professor of Singapore University of Technology and Design and Chris Trott, Head of Sustainability & Partner of Foster + Partners. Over 1,700 people participated in the conference, including nearly 500 attending in person. Open to online participants for the first time, the conference drew about 1,200 people signing up for virtual attendance, many of whom were from overseas, furthering the event’s global impact.

In her opening remarks, Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said, “Climate change is an issue we have to overcome, and it is one which no one can tackle by isolated efforts, but by the commitment and collaborative efforts of many industry stakeholders in the move towards sustainable built environment. Chinachem Group’s modular integrated construction (MiC) project in Tonkin Street is the first high-rise private residential MiC project in Hong Kong. It can significantly improve quality, safety and sustainability performance of construction work. We are excited to learn that Chinachem Group is planning the second MiC project, having the number of flats 10 times that of the Tonkin Street project. I hope to see many more MiC projects from the private sector to come.”

Donald Choi, Executive Director and CEO of Chinachem Group, said, “Chinachem Group walks the talk when it comes to sustainable development. In addition to developing a sustainability framework, we have also formulated short-, medium- and long-term goals, strategies and a roadmap with reference to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. On the environmental front, we have established the CCG3050+ with an ambitious carbon reduction target to cut the Group’s carbon emissions by more than 50% by 2030 compared with the base year of 2020. To support the Group’s business strategy and vision, we launched the Green Finance Framework and joined forces with financial institutions to promote green finance by injecting funds into sustainability projects that deliver environmental benefits. Going forward, the Group will continue to promote the wider use of greener construction methods in the industry, and we look forward to working with like-minded partners to make Hong Kong a more liveable city.”

Cheung Hau-wai, Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, said, “The conference has provided a valuable opportunity for many leaders and experts in green building industry, construction, green finance, and heritage conservation sector to gather for a common goal. To create social impact on the Zero Carbon Journey, it is necessary for all of us to examine how the society’s different sectors can impact from the building’s life cycle from design, construction to regeneration, countryside conservation and its interplay with urban development. We look forward to interacting and exchanging ideas with industry experts around the world in the hope of creating a low carbon future for our community.”

In addition, this year’s conference introduced a new exhibition area and invited five exhibitors to showcase their approaches and innovations in sustainable development. One of the exhibitors was the Group’s Nina Park, which features a number of sustainability elements and is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2023 as Hong Kong’s only wood fossil edutainment destination. Other participating start-ups and SMEs included “Farmacy”, which promotes agriculture and hydroponic farming; “Urban Spring”, a smart filtered water dispenser company focused on reducing plastic bottle use; “Timberbank”, an eco-preneur that advocates local felled tree recycling and reindustrialisation; and “Circular City”, which promotes plastic-free living and zero-waste beverages.