RECYCLING SPLENDOUR

Recognised as one of the land use industry’s most prestigious awards programs, the Global Awards program was established in 1979 and recognises real estate projects that achieve a high standard of excellence in design, construction, economics, planning, and management.

Open to the entire industry, the awards program is viewed as the centrepiece of ULI’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development.

The Hong Kong East Community Green Station is one of eleven winning real estate development projects from around the globe to be honoured this year, and the only global winning project in Asia.

The Hong Kong East Community Green Station

In May 2015, the Environmental Protection Department of Hong Kong completed the Hong Kong East Community Green Station to implement the “reduction first” waste management strategy, as a pilot project for promoting green living and collection of recyclables at the community level.

Instead of a traditional garbage collection point, the Station is designed as a positive asset to the local community with the inclusion of an education centre, workspace for handling recyclables, office, ancillary facilities, and a landscape area.

In total, the project includes around 2415sqm (26,000 sq ft) of open space and landscaping, around 743sqm (8000 sq ft) of industrial space, and around 372sqm (4000 sq ft) of educational space, with around 697sqm (7500 sq ft) for buildings. The total cost of the project is around US$3 million.

The flyover above the site contributes to the passive cooling of the venues thus reducing solar heat gain. Modular containers are reused as bases for the buildings and modified to suit the need of different functions. An additional overhanging roof and vertical greening shelter the interior from direct sunlight.

Various sustainable initiatives put the green culture of “Use Less, Waste Less” into practice. The Station collects recyclables such as electrical appliances, compact fluorescent lamps, glass bottles and rechargeable batteries which are sorted in the recyclables repository before delivery to qualified recyclers for proper treatment and the conversion of waste into usable resources.

Hong Kong East Community Green Station transformed a temporary carpark under a flyover into a public gathering place to bridge the old and new neighbourhood within an existing dense residential area. The concept was to create a new street through the site to connect the surrounding communities through the use of a green wall, bamboo trellis and a courtyard garden.

The project has become a focal point for the local neighbourhoods where the new street and the landscape area embody a variety of gathering spaces as an interpretation of pavilions in a traditional Chinese Garden, representing the local cultural values.

Hong Kong East Community Green Station has organised over 100 events on site and has become a popular spot for environmental education and recycling support in the Eastern District of Hong Kong.