The Future of Green Building in Hong Kong

The future is green for Hong Kong, as sustainability initiatives advance for the region's growing urban population. For the first time, the city hosted a Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series event convened by United Technologies' industry-leading brands Carrier, Otis and Chubb, with support from the Hong Kong Green Building Council. Carrier, the world's leader in high-technology heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration solutions, Otis, the world's leading manufacturer of elevators and escalators, and Chubb, a leading provider of security and fire-safety solutions for businesses and industry, are parts of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, a unit of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX).

Approximately 150 international thought leaders and green building professionals discussed the growing demand for green buildings around the world, and particularly in Hong Kong, while highlighting their environmental and economic value. Hong Kong's government has set several policy initiatives, including recently announcing its first energy saving plan for the built environment, which sets a new target to reduce energy intensity by 40 percent, the equivalent of reducing energy use by 6 percent, over the next 10 years. The campaign encourages residents to be "Energy Aware" and "Energy Wise" and has received support from the Hong Kong Green Building Council, which plans to participate in the plan's stakeholder dialogue platform, bringing together a wide range of green building stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of green building by the private sector. This is in addition to Hong Kong's use of sustainable building products for public works projects, commitment to a recycling fund to encourage further sustainability in the recycling industry and plans to reduce carbon emissions by reducing food waste in landfills by 40 percent.

"Hong Kong has an incredible reputation for preserving its natural resources and recognizes that these efforts must continue as its urban population grows, especially for the future of buildings and food," said John Mandyck, chief sustainability officer, UTC Building & Industrial Systems. "Green buildings are the best solution for growing cities around the globe, providing an excellent business and environmental value for business owners and residents alike. With strong governmental support and understanding of these benefits, Hong Kong is poised for success in its continuing journey toward a more sustainable future."

Rick Fedrizzi, CEO of both the U.S. Green Building Council and the Green Building Certification Institute, discussed strategies to achieve green buildings for everyone within the current generation. 

"Green buildings reduce consumption of energy, water, precious resources and money," said Fedrizzi. "Given the world's finite resources, the best way to accommodate a growing global population is with green buildings - a space for all to live, work, play and learn in."

Bill Browning, founding partner of Terrapin Bright Green, LLC and a founding member of the U.S. Green Building Council's Board of Directors, presented on biophilic design, the connection between the built environment and the natural world, and how neuroscience, endocrinology and evolutionary psychology are changing the design of buildings. 

"Reconnecting people with nature in the built environment has significant benefits for health, productivity and well-being," said Browning. "Green buildings are constructed with nature and environmental impacts in mind, but they also provide a healthy, productive space for people who, on average, spend the majority of their days indoors."

The event also featured remarks from Conrad Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, about green buildings in Hong Kong. He provided insights on how buildings can become more energy-efficient and lessen carbon emissions. 

Since 2011, the Distinguished Sustainability Lecture Series has reached nearly 3,000 professionals through 25 lectures in Brazil, China, India, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. For more information about sustainability initiatives at UTC Building & Industrial Systems, visit www.NaturalLeader.com or follow @UTCBIS on Twitter.

About UTC Building & Industrial Systems
UTC Building & Industrial Systems is the world's largest provider of building technologies. Its elevator, escalator, fire-safety, security, building automation, heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems and services promote integrated, high-performance buildings that are safer, smarter and sustainable. UTC Building & Industrial Systems is a unit of United Technologies Corp., a leading provider to the aerospace and building systems industries worldwide. For more information, visit www.BIS.UTC.com or follow @UTCBIS on Twitter.