Micro-climate studies were conducted during planning and design stage to promote higher human comfortability and energy saving. The studies, including wind speed, daylight access of neighborhood, noise and light pollution, natural ventilation and solar irradiation, provide the comprehensive environmental information to well utilize the natural resources.  

Other prominent green and sustainable features include: 

• Rain water and grey water harvest systems are adopted to reduce the fresh water consumption; 
• Solar hot water pre-heat systems are designed to promote green energy; 
• LED lighting fittings are adopted to reduce the electrical consumption; 
• Bicycle track link is provided in connect to regional bicycle network, promote green life style; 
• More than 30% of the site area is covered with soft landscaping; 
• Solar sensing irrigation with dripline systems are adopted, eliminate water evaporation and water consumption; 
• Acoustic windows are installed to tackle the impact from nearby railway noise. A up-side down plenum type special designed window is adopted in order to achieve a noise reduction about 7dB(A). The provision of the specially designed window is to mitigate the traffic noise such that the development will not be subject to unacceptable traffic noise impact;  
• Food composting equipment is introduced in the hostel canteen to take the initiative to reduce the loading of landfills. Food waste processor of 100kg treatment capacity is to be provided on-site to convert the sorted food waste into organic fertilizer. Green Conscious Living Education programme will be organized to promote the source separation and collection of food waste, principle of food waste composting and application of compost products; 
• Twin tanks are introduced to provide an uninterrupted fresh and flush water supply to the building users during maintenance. The design avoid the suspension of water supply during cleansing of potable water tank and enabling adequate time for O&M staff to thoroughly clean and carry out adequate maintenance check to identify any possible defects; 
• Smart energy meter payment system is adopted for function room, table tennis room, gym room, reading room, snooker room, music room, band room, games room, dancing room and laundry. The octopus readers and touch screens are installed at the corresponding areas. By presenting the octopus cards over the card reader, users can use the air-conditioners at the corresponding areas and nurturing a green behavior. The property management team can easily monitor and control the usage of function room.

Found in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed from a student population of about 3,000 to 28,000 in 2016.  Campus Master Plan (CMP) provided an exemplary sustainable framework to balance the growth of the University in achieving teaching and research excellence under her unique college system and campus environment. The CMP consists of 6 key planning precepts: 

i) Making a Sustainable Campus

ii) Places for Education and Research Activities

iii) Enhancing College Life 

iv) A Pedestrian Friendly Campus

v) Conserving Places of Value

vi) A Landscape of Vital Importance

Making a Sustainable Campus 

The University pledges its commitment to continuously improve the environmental quality of the campus, putting the principles of sustainable design at the heart of campus development, and has been acclaimed for her innovations and efforts, e.g. Green Building design excellence, measures for recycling, use of renewable energy, energy conservation, waste management, tree and ecology preservation, and carbon audit on existing buildings etc. Green Building design principles are implemented to ensure that the built environments are friendly, inclusive and sustainable. With the concerted effort and the implementation of the Energy Saving and Conservation Plans, the University has reduced energy and general waste progressively in the past years. 

Green Hostel Village 

In the design development of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Postgraduate Halls 2 & 3, CMP serves as the guiding principles and an exemplary framework to balance the growth of the University in achieving teaching excellence and research achievements via CUHK’s unique college system and campus environment. 

Green Building and ‘Eco-Habitat’ design principles are adopted to promote energy conscious and sustainability; moreover the design also encourages whole-person development, interactions outside the classrooms and connects people with Architecture and Nature.  

Wellness, strategic facilities planning, climatic response, interactive environment and green building design are the adopted design policies in the course of design development. The design team has placed significant emphasis on full integration of sustainability within the design process as opposed to merely making it a stage of the design process. 

Eco-habitats, sustainable building technology and green features include:-  

1. Disposition of non-sensitive noise areas and acoustic windows for noise mitigation 
2. All bedrooms are accessible to natural daylight and ventilation, and with emphasis on indoor environmental qualities such as air, noise isolation, thermal comfort, lighting etc. 
3. Installation of daylight/motion sensors to control lighting & air-conditioning 
4. Solar water panel at hostel roofs in providing pre-heat hot water for showering use 
5. Energy efficient LED lighting fittings 
6. Wind turbines are installed at hostel roof to harvest the wind energy 
7. Smart Card Token System for Laundry and air conditioning system in function room 
8. Reuse of used water collected  
9. Water-saving fixtures are used 
10. Roof gardens as insulation layer 
11. Green purchase of low-VOC/Radon/Formaldehyde products 



Promoting Green Hostel Life 

Hostel life is a vital part of student wellbeing and education in CUHK; dedicated programmes are conducted in Colleges to cultivate environmental awareness of the students and to achieve a green and energy conscious living style. ‘Smart meter on Progressive rate Scale for Top-up’ are installed for students to keep track of their electricity consumption for bedroom A/C, fridge, fan or heater etc. 

Campaigns such as ‘Love Food Hate Waste @ CUHK’ guided students to reduce their Leftover Meal 剩宴 to more than 20% per year and trained more than 50 student ambassadors (有衣食達人) in the practice of ‘Green Living’. ‘Green Student Societies’ are organized and ‘Year-End Hostel Check-out Scheme’ also recycles more than 10,000kg of clothes, paper glass, household ware etc. from hostels.