Green building certification began in various countries in the 1990s and has evolved from using environmentally friendly building materials and being environmentally friendly to focusing on energy conservation. Now, it is moving towards integrating with local communities, ensuring that environmental protection extends beyond just the building itself. At the 2017 Hong Kong Eco Expo, many exhibitors in the building sector offered services using the Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics to assist in safety and energy management. In the green building materials sector, several companies launched their own independently developed insulation coatings to reduce the need for air conditioning. "Ninety percent of Hong Kong's electricity is used indoors," noted Kan Hon-pang, Director of Property Development at Schneider Electric. Chan Wing-hong, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, also pointed out that two-thirds of Hong Kong's energy waste currently occurs in buildings. "Energy efficiency is an energy resource that every country possesses," Chan emphasized, adding that any country can have sufficient energy by improving energy efficiency. Chan pointed out that while Hong Kong's hardware energy efficiency is gradually improving, the increasing number of electrical appliances means that overall energy consumption continues to rise. Therefore, Hong Kong is currently moving towards leveraging data and information to enable collaboration among developers, technology companies, and property management firms for energy conservation. Jian Hanpeng used smart bracelets for health management to explain the application of IoT systems in buildings. These systems rely on sensors to wirelessly transmit data, allowing for timely adjustments to air conditioning, lighting, and appliances. The goal is to help users improve their buildings' energy efficiency by three times. For example, detecting human presence to turn on lights and air conditioning, automatically turning off lights when sunlight is detected, and adjusting air conditioning based on air quality data. Jian Hanpeng stated that while professional organizations with high electricity consumption in Hong Kong typically have their own energy-saving measures, households, small shops, and offices often have lower energy efficiency. This is the target customer group they aim to attract, and therefore they believe the control interface must be as simple as possible. "Too much data, too little time," said Jimalyn Yao, Siemens Building Technology Manager. She added that the emerging problem is how to make correct decisions for these buildings with so much data, and whether it is truly being used effectively. Siemens believes that for this data to truly be effective, a large platform is needed to combine data from various sources and identify indirect relationships. For example, when a tram arrives at a station, it brings a large number of passengers into the station or guides them into a specific building. If the data from both sides can be combined, the building's air conditioning can be adjusted according to the flow of people. This relies on all parties making their data publicly available. Zhou Jiaming, a director of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, stated that Hong Kong's green building ratings are constantly being updated, moving beyond the pursuit of green building characteristics, operation and management, and energy efficiency to consider the impact on the community and outdoor environment, such as lighting, air pollution, and microclimate. Taking ventilation as an example, one cannot only focus on the quality of the building itself while obstructing the ventilation of the entire area. Therefore, many buildings now include ventilation ducts, even with high land prices, to allow for airflow. Other considerations include preserving trees and considering whether the building's orientation can provide shade for sidewalks. Zhou Jiaming used Mong Kok and Tsim Sha Tsui as counter-examples to explain why the temperature feels particularly high at night. He explained that the buildings there use large amounts of cement and metal, which continuously release the heat absorbed during the day. To cool such buildings, methods like using green walls, white paint, or rainwater harvesting can be employed. Hong Kong's green building certification also involves regular reassessments and continuous updates to the guidelines. Many organizations and consulting firms assisting with green building design participated in the exhibition. The presence of numerous thermal insulation coating companies at the exhibition highlighted the business opportunities and intense competition. Companies have developed coatings made of ceramic and aerogel materials; a thin layer can create a temperature difference of over ten degrees Celsius between the inside and outside of a wall. AZABU, a Japanese company originating from space rocket technology, stated that their ceramic coating, GAINA, developed over 30 years, can lower indoor temperatures by 5 degrees Celsius. This reduces the need for air conditioning, resulting in energy savings. Currently, 120,000 people in Japan have benefited from this. (Source: Environmental Information Centre, 2017-10-31)
