(16 January 2020, Hong Kong) Culture for Tomorrow, a non-profit organisation founded by cultural entrepreneur Mr Adrian Cheng, Executive Vice-Chairman and General Manager of New World Development and Founder of K11 Group, presented the 1-day Sustainability Forum 2020: Activating Change in a New World Order today, 16 January 2020. The forum brought together over 30 international and local experts, academics and business leaders for an in-depth discussion on climate change and sustainability, with the aim of driving collaborative actions in the areas of architectural innovations and offering holistic solutions to build businesses and communities. The forum was held at the triple-platinum-certified green and healthy building, K11 ATELIER King’s Road.
The global climate crisis is already starting to trigger multiple negative effects on the planet, putting at risk all the species that inhabit the Earth, including us! Australia’s devastating bushfires are just one of many examples. They are causing massive damage to human lives, wildlife and property, along with severe problems of air quality and public health. As a result, our society needs a new way to live and to do business. A way that copes with global climate change and other environmental challenges to build a sustainable future.
Adrian Cheng said, “Our first Sustainability Forum brought together a number of key business leaders to inspire and build knowledge on sustainable living. We recognise that sustainability is, and must remain, a top business priority for the Group if we are to be in a position to create shared value and provide long-term benefits for our shareholders and other stakeholders in the community.”
“We are building a collaborative culture that will convene like-minded changemakers to drive sustainability and social progress to create a win-win situation for corporations and society.”
With its cross-sector and cross-generational dialogues, the forum was a reference point for sustainability, with prominent speakers from around the world sharing their knowledge and expertise to radically rethink cities, redefine cultures and communities, and realign finance and technology for the purpose.
Under the “New World Sustainability Vision 2030 (SV2030) ”, New World Development references the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to standardize property development and management practices, establish targets such as carbon intensity reduction by 50% based on 2015 levels and infuse its synergistic ecosystem businesses with the elements of Green, Wellness, Smart and Caring, to provide long-term benefits for everyone in the community. Its achievements are recognized by its listing on the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index and a top ranking on the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, among others.
Mr Peter Bakker, President and CEO of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) presented a keynote speech on how WBCSD is working with over 200 leading businesses to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. Mr Bakker said, “It’s great to see more business here in Asia focused on sustainable development, equipped with targeted goals and concrete actions. Well-designed cities and mobility systems are a crucial element to achieve our vision of a world in which more than nine billion people can live well, within the limits of the planet. We are excited to work together with NWD to accelerate the transformation of our urban systems and achieve resilient, healthy and sustainable cities for all.”
New World Development shares the same vision and announced that it is the first real estate company in Hong Kong to join the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
K11 ATELIER King’s Road Redefines the role of Sustainability in Architectural Design
In line with the company’s SV2030 and contribution to a sustainable society, New World Development also presented the first Vertical Creative City concept in Island East – K11 ATELIER King’s Road. This is an urban office redevelopment project with a total gross floor area of 487,500 sq. ft., comprising 22 office floors, an exhibition space, and food and beverage outlets.
Smart technology, green design, art and craftsmanship are fused with architecture to support a lifestyle of comfort and sustainability. The building provides a total of 6,700 sq. m. of greenery which is equivalent to 220% the site area or the size of 26 standard tennis courts. The greenery absorbs up to 4,000,000 g of CO2 per year, an amount similar to the absorption capacity of 180 trees.
K11 ATELIER King’s Road is committed to improving environmental health and the personal well-being of building users. It is also the first building in Hong Kong which received final Platinum certifications of the WELL Building Standard™ and US LEED® as well as the provisional platinum certification for Hong Kong BEAM Plus.
As the incubator of cutting-edge technologies and a greener and healthier future, K11 ATELIER King’s Road offers close to 70 sustainable items ranging from indoor air with enhanced air filtering, water quality above World Health Organization standards, fitness facilities, and healthy dining options, to leisure activities focused on personal growth and mindful living.
The inspirational building offers a remarkable entrance from a patented design “CEILINGREEN®” to introduce greenery to the underside of a building at the ground floor. This provides a green landscaped area equal to the size of four tennis courts without sacrificing the common space for the streetscape and neighbourhood.
The podium is also set back from three streets to increase the street “canyon” with additional greenery offering up to 52% coverage of the whole floor area. Raising the podium to 9.2 meters has increased also visual and physical transparency between the streets. The 3D façade profile and greenery create visual comfort for the surrounding buildings and pedestrian areas as well as its users.
K11 ATELIER King’s Road is also equipped with the largest hybrid Photovoltaic & Thermal (PVT) Panel in Asia and Australia. This 220sq.m. facility co-generates both electricity and hot water, contributing 1.3% of total building energy use or 77,000kWh energy per year, equivalent to fully charging about 7 million smart phones.
More sustainability design features include:
- Architectural Massing Design in Respect to the Surrounding Context. The building constructed in a low-zone and high-zone level according to the views. Breaking down the massing into cubes of smaller scale mitigates the visual impact on the surroundings.
- Rooftop Sky Garden: A massive rooftop terrace offers a 170m jogging path, and over 20 plant species in the garden to maintain biodiversity. 70 sq. m. of the plants are edible.
- Environmental Efficiency: a 3kW wind turbine on the roof convert wind power to electricity for landscape lighting. And estimated 65% of irrigation water is saved through rainwater harvesting and the use of water-efficient systems.
- An innovative microclimate modifying wind screen is installed on the roof garden to improve year-round comfort. Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulation is applied for verification.
- · Extensive Greenery: 90% of the main roof area is covered by greenery and landscaping to minimise the heat-island effect. Total around 6,700 sqm of greenery in the development, equivalent to 220% of the lot area or the size of 26 tennis courts, helps improve the micro-climate in this high-density context.
- Engaging the Building Occupants and Neighbourhood: 25,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space provides a versatile space for displays, artwork and artistic installations. It also acts as an incubation hub for budding creative professionals, as well as hosting activities to engage the neighborhood.
- Caring Facilities: Each floor is equipped with a nursing room to provide a family-friendly, inclusive and caring environment.
Inspiring the Public through Photography and Art Exhibition
In addition to the sustainability forum, the K11 Art Foundation (KAF) will present two public exhibitions Disruptive Matter and Carbon’s Casualties at the HACC – a brand-new multi-purpose art space at K11 ATELIER King’s Road – from 17 January to 16 February 2020.
Disruptive Matter is an art exhibition that explores and celebrates current groundbreaking transformations emerging globally in our shift towards a renewable, post-fossil-fuel world. Carbon’s Casualties is a photography exhibition co-presented by KAF and The New York Times to bring together the climate photography of Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times’s staff photographer Josh Haner.
Through photography and art as alternative mediums of inspiration, the
exhibitions capture the pressing realities of climate change, and urge serious
reflection and a call-to-action on the need for a culture of sustainable
living.