To enhance the environmental quality of the University campus, PolyU has incorporated many sustainable and green features in its development and operations. This chapter provides information in association with aspects of sustainability policies and guidelines, energy conservation, waste management, water conservation, indoor air quality, green workplace, and sustainability platforms.
4.1 Policies and Guidelines
PolyU endorsed the Paper Reduction Policy in April 2017, which focuses on promoting paper reduction practices into all facets of operations. Staff and students are encouraged to cut their reliance on paper usage and move towards paperless cultures and sustainable practices.
PolyU announced its position on Sustainability-conscious Food Consumption in Official Entertainment in May 2017 that encourages sustainability-conscious food consumption practices. The University pledges to exclude some food items which have aroused international and local conservation concerns in official entertainment functions.
4.2 Carbon Footprint and Energy Conservation
In Hong Kong, electricity generation accounted for the majority of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing carbon emissions and being ‘energy aware’ are our top priorities. PolyU has, therefore, signed the Environmental Protection Department (EPD)’s Carbon Reduction Charter and the Hong Kong Declaration by the Hong Kong Sustainable Campus Consortium (HKSCC).
In 2016/17, carbon emissions per capita due to major direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) sources on main campus were 1.73 tonnes CO2 equivalent.
Electricity use is the main source of carbon emissions on campus, and we are strongly committed to reducing energy consumption in our daily operations. In 2016/17, the electricity consumption of the main campus was 3.05 MWh per capita, which was 14% lower than it was in 2005/06.
PolyU continues to conserve energy by implementing new energy-saving and environmentally friendly facilities such as R-134a and R407C refrigerants in the air conditioning system. We have also installed renewable energy facilities including the Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) solar panel system on the roof of Lee Shau Kee Building (Block Y), the solar covered walkway on the Podium, and the solar photovoltaic system at Li Ka Shing Tower (Block M) on the main campus, resulting in the generation of 42,922 kWh of electricity in 2016/17.
4.3 Waste Management
PolyU is aware of the waste disposal problem in Hong Kong and has applied the 4R waste management principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Replace) in daily operations to combat this issue. To encourage staff and students to adopt recycling habits, PolyU has installed several types of recycling bins around campus to collect items and materials including waste paper, plastic, metal, glass beverage bottles, rechargeable batteries, and food waste.
To further promote proper recycling practice among the University community, the UniRe® collection/recycling bins across the campus were dressed with creative, insight-driven appearances designed by PolyU students in 2016/2017.
In collaboration with Hong Chi Association, we have collected a total of 798 kg glass beverages bottles in 2016/17. Waste glass bottles were used for the production of Eco-Blocks which are invented by PolyU. Eco-Blocks could help relieve pressure on landfills and remove pollutants in air.
PolyU continuously raises the awareness of food waste reduction among our stakeholders and has signed the Food Wise Charter. PolyU has commissioned the Hong Kong Organic Waste Recycling Centre to collect food waste generated from the catering facilities, pantries in Li Ka Shing Tower, and Phase 8 on the main campus, extended campus in Hung Hom Bay and Student Halls of Residence (Homantin). We have collected a total of 128.4 tonnes of food waste in 2016/17 on the main campus. All food waste collected will then be recycled into composts and pig feeds.
4.4 Water Conservation
We need a lot of water for the growing number of students and campus development. PolyU has made great efforts to reduce water consumption by introducing corresponding initiatives and installing water-saving devices on campus. In 2016/17, the water consumption of the main campus was 19.2 m3 per capita, which was 26% lower than it was in 2005/06.
Water-saving facilities are installed in different campus buildings to reduce water usage. These include the recycling of condensing water from the chiller system as make-up water for cooling towers, sensor-operated water taps, water-saving shower heads in showering facilities, and dual-flush toilets with two different flush volumes, etc.
4.5 Indoor Air Quality
PolyU commits to maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ) to bring about a healthy environment for our staff and students. Having fulfilled the requirements of IAQ parameters, temperature, relative humidity, air movement, and concentrations of air contaminants, a list of buildings on our campus were certified as Good Class under the ‘Indoor Air Quality Certification Scheme for Offices and Public Places’ organized by the Environmental Protection Department. PolyU received a special award being one among the top 10 organizations with the highest participation rates in this certification scheme in 2016. It is the third year in a row that PolyU has earned this honour since 2014, and it affirms the University’s continuous efforts in providing a pleasant indoor environment. (Details are available in Chapter 3 “Recognition and Achievement - Recognition on Sustainable Campus”.)
4.6 Green Workplace
PolyU’s Green PolyU Awards – Green Office programme, launched since 2016, establishes an effective platform for staff members to communicate, shape and exchange ideas, and incorporate sustainable practices into the day-to-day operations of workspaces. It concluded its Phase One activities in March 2017 with a special award presentation ceremony to recognize the 30 offices and units across the campus that voluntarily joined the assessment scheme to track their sustainability performance. They managed to achieve over 100 different environmental and green workplace targets within four months, including energy-saving, paper reduction, recycling actions, green procurement, and resource conservation. Phase Two activities commence in June 2017.
4.7 Sustainability Platforms
Initiated by PolyU, Hong Kong’s first-ever cross-sector collaborative research platform, the University-Government-Industry Consortium for Sustainable Urban Development (UGI Consortium) was officially launched in July 2016. It serves as a platform for the development and implementation of new technologies and solutions for smart/sustainable cities and sustainable development in Hong Kong.
