Mr Stanley ZHENG, Chief Secretarial Officer, The ESG Consortium, Mr Horace PAN, Chairman of Hong Kong Interior Design Association, Mr KONG Mau Shing, Marsden, Acting Assistant Director/Electricity & Energy Efficiency, Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, Mr Alan SIN, Deputy Director of Architectural Services (Acting), Architectural Services Department, Dr the Hon LAM Ching-choi, SBS, JP, Chairman, Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, Mr LI Ho Kin, Chairperson, BEAM Society Limited, Miss WONG Shuk Han, Diane, JP, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Dr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman, Hong Kong Green Building Council, Prof WONG Kit-lung, Simon, BBS, JP, Chairman, Environmental Campaign Committee, Ir CF LEUNG, Director – Operations of Business Environment Council Limited, Mr LAM Tsz Fung, Senior Building Surveyor/Hong Kong East 2, Buildings Department took a group photo at the launch ceremony.
(28 November 2023, Hong Kong) BEAM Society Limited (BSL) and Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) jointly hosted a ceremony today (28 November) at Jockey Club Environmental Building in Kowloon Tong, announcing the launch of “BEAM Plus Interiors Version 2.0” – an upgraded green interior assessment tool specifically designed for interior fit-out, renovation and refurbishment works. Over 80 government officials and distinguished guests joined the launch ceremony, with Miss WONG Shuk Han, Diane, JP, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, The Government of the HKSAR as the officiating guest.
A Newly Revamped Assessment Tool with Expanded Assessment Scope
Under the umbrella of BEAM Plus assessment tools which offers a comprehensive set of performance criteria for environmental sustainability, BEAM Plus Interiors (BI) has been first introduced as a localised benchmark for assessing interior fit-out, renovation, and refurbishment works in 2013. It is specifically designed to recognise the effort paid by contributors in the promotion of green interiors, covering office and retail premises, hotel rooms and function rooms, restaurants, educational facilities, and institutional facilities.
Embracing the latest government standards and integrating the best project practices, the upgraded version of the Tool, BEAM Plus Interiors Version 2.0 – Non-Residential has been formulated. Furthermore, the new Tool has also expanded its assessment scope to include residential spaces, introducing the first-ever assessment tool for green domestic interiors in Hong Kong – BEAM Plus Interiors Version 2.0 – Residential. This significant advancement will facilitate the encouragement of public participation in BEAM Plus assessment and drive the green building movement in Hong Kong towards a more sustainable community.
Mr LI Ho Kin, Chairperson of BEAM Society Limited mentioned, the upgraded BEAM Plus Interiors v2.0 includes a comprehensive checklist for residential units and encourages the widespread adoption of green practices. 
Dr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman of Hong Kong Green Building Council said, with the launch of BEAM Plus Interiors v2.0, it is expected to meet an increasing demand for green interior spaces and buildings and enhancing Hong Kong’s liveability in the long term.
The First-ever Green Assessment Tool Designed for Use in Residential Units with a Comprehensive and Simple Checklist
Mr LI Ho Kin, Chairperson of BEAM Society Limited mentioned, “The upgraded BEAM Plus Interiors v2.0 introduces significant enhancement in Adaptability, Simplification, Certainty and Human-Centricity. It aims to offer more practicable, clear and standardised criteria for evaluating the performance of green interiors. BSL firmly believes that creating a sustainable built environment begins at green interior spaces. Therefore, a first-ever assessment tool for residential units in Hong Kong, alongside an upgraded manual for non-residential units is developed. The inclusion of a comprehensive checklist for residential units ensures clear and easily understandable criteria for achieving desirable rating in residential units. This initiative aims to encourage the widespread adoption of green practices which marks a new chapter to BEAM Plus assessment tools in its way forward to the public, paving the way towards the carbon neutrality goal set out in Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050.”
Spearheading the Development of Green Building to Create a Sustainable Built Environment
Dr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman of Hong Kong Green Building Council shared, “Numerous studies have revealed that we spend 90% of our time indoors, such as home, office, school, shopping mall, bank, restaurant etc. and such extended exposure to indoor conditions has significant effects on human wellbeing and performance. This indicates the importance of maintaining the quality of indoor environments and green interior spaces can help benefit the health, wellbeing, and productivity of its occupants. With the launch of BEAM Plus Interiors v2.0, HKGBC looks forward to gathering concerted effort of construction industry stakeholders to make a step forward in meeting the increasing demand for green interior spaces and buildings and enhancing Hong Kong’s liveability in the long term, as well as to motivate the public to take part in creating a sustainable community.”
BSL and HKGBC have made significant efforts to engage different stakeholders through workshops and pilot-testing assessments of the new tool on real projects. A total of five projects have completed the pilot assessment that have achieved remarkable results and gained high recognition of BEAM Plus BI v2.0.
To get more information about BSL, please visit www.beamsociety.org.hk.
To learn more about the HKGBC, please visit www.hkgbc.org.hk.