In 2020, the Hong Kong government established a plan to make the city carbon neutral before 2050. To this end, strategies and measures to reduce the city’s carbon emissions have been popping up, from greener transportation to greener residential buildings.
In the heart of Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong’s first zero carbon building, CIC-Zero Carbon Park (CIC-ZCP), was established to serve as not only house an interactive space with resources and workshops about renewable energy and carbon neutrality, but to also showcase the possibilities of ecological design and technology — and in a city filled with buildings, the possibilities are needed.
Totalling 14,700 square feet, the state-of-the-art building holds special performances, exhibits, events and educational family-friendly workshops for the community to grow their awareness about low carbon and sustainable living, accessible for nominal concession fees. A large outdoor landscape area, which is free to enter, provides a peaceful slice of greenery in the midst of busy Kowloon.
CIC-ZCP utilises a few pretty cool systems to keep it powered, including solar panels and biofuel made from cooking oil waste to create renewable energy onsite. These systems result in a 25% saving of energy, compared to similar building designs.
There’s another system which uses stormwater, which Hong Kong has been having a lot of lately, to power the building’s air conditioning, which HongKongers need much of. Using stormwater allows for 50% less energy consumption compared to traditional air-cooled systems.
Upon visiting the building, the eye-catching glass canopy is also a strategic design that creates renewable energy from sunlight, and the material used to create the canopy even cleans itself, reducing maintenance costs.
Starting in September, interested HongKongers can join sustainable green and fitness workshops, ranging from yoga to DIY accessories to live music performances, all taking place at CIC-ZCP to celebrate a low-carbon Mid-autumn Festival.
As individuals, embracing these eco-initiatives and participating in their offerings is one way the city can work together toward a carbon neutral Hong Kong, and to a greener, more sustainable world.
Learn more about the CIC-Zero Carbon Park
