Member Repository

Case Study

Green Airport Design and Construction (GADC) Strategy

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BP, Scope 1

BP’s emissions from mobile and stationary sources, such as vehicles, equipment, emergency generators and fugitive emissions from refrigerants used for building cooling systems.
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BP, Scope 2

Emissions from electricity bought or consumed by BP.

AAHK recognises the vital role that design and construction can play in lowering carbon emissions and reducing our carbon footprint, and the importance of establishing sustainability principles right from the onset of airport building projects. For more than a decade, we have progressively incorporated sustainability features, environmental design principles and green construction techniques into airport expansion and retro-fitting projects. Today, AAHK approaches all existing and future efforts under a consistent, integrated and holistic strategy to reap greater environmental benefits and achieve better cost-savings – as we strive towards our vision of becoming the world’s greenest airport.

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AAHK recognises the vital role that design and construction can play in lowering carbon emissions and reducing our carbon footprint, and the importance of establishing sustainability principles right from the onset of airport building projects. For more than a decade, we have progressively incorporated sustainability features, environmental design principles and green construction techniques into airport expansion and retro-fitting projects. Today, AAHK approaches all existing and future efforts under a consistent, integrated and holistic strategy to reap greater environmental benefits and achieve better cost-savings – as we strive towards our vision of becoming the world’s greenest airport.

Connecting the dots: Integrating green construction projects under holistic guidelines

In 2021, we formalised our Green Airport Design and Construction (GADC) Strategy that will guide all existing and future green construction projects in a clear, concrete and coherent manner, from project inception to completion. The strategy, which was formulated based on our decade-long experience in sustainability-related construction, sets out a consistent approach to lowering carbon emissions using environmental design principles and responsible construction techniques. This approach guides our existing and future projects, as well as those undertaken in partnership with our franchisees and business partners.

We are proud to announce the official adoption of the GADC strategy in 2023 following a two-year trial period that was well received by our internal stakeholders and business partners. Today, a dedicated Technical Advisory Group comprising seasoned project managers and green design professionals oversees and facilitates the effective implementation of the GADC Strategy.

AAHK has strategically incorporated sustainability features into the design and construction of airport buildings and expansion projects for over a decade to lower carbon emissions. This journey has taught us the importance of incorporating sustainable principles right from the onset of construction projects, so we achieve better environmental results while optimising cost efficiency.

Laying the groundwork for green projects with clear, concrete guidelines

The two key guidelines under the GADC strategy reflects our work in lowering carbon emissions and building more resilient infrastructure –

  1. Guidelines on Energy Efficiency for New Buildings and Retrofitting Works Design – to identify feasible construction elements early in a project’s lifecycle – including green designs, building materials and procured equipment – that will lead to improved energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. The guidelines also dictate new constructions to be more energy efficient when they are in operation, ensuring they are built ready to either use renewable energy directly, or rely on a source of energy supply with a significantly reduced carbon footprint, such as electricity from renewable sources. In March 2024, we expanded our energy guidelines beyond the design of new buildings to cover retrofitting works within existing buildings. These guidelines are also aligned to the “Zero-Carbon-Ready” concept advocated by the Hong Kong Green Business Council (HKGBC).
  2. Climate Resilience Guidance Note – to identify and mitigate climate-related risks early in a project’s planning and design phases, in order to develop options and build infrastructure that is more resilient towards adverse weather. Under the guidance, climate-related risks to be assessed include extreme heat, precipitation, sea levels and wind speeds, all of which can potentially be exacerbated by climate change. This Guidance Note has since been adopted for our Airportcity Link and Airport Tung Chung Link projects, and we will continue to assess future projects against this note as appropriate.

Recognitions attesting to AAHK’s green construction efforts

Green buildings across HKIA have long been recognised by HKGBC for environmental excellence by leading green building certification schemes, attesting to our longstanding commitment to providing sustainable, resilient infrastructure.

HKIA buildings that are accredited under HKGBC’s Building Environmental Assessment Method (BEAM) Plus awards include:

  • AsiaWorld-Expo Phase 2 Development, Provisional Platinum, 2024
  • HKIA Tower Two, Final Gold, 2024
  • Sky Bridge, Final Platinum, 2023
  • Terminal 2 Concourse and Air Traffic Control Tower, Provisional Platinum, 2022
  • Three-Runway System within T2 Expansion Works, Provisional Platinum, 2020
  • T1 Midfield Concourse, Final Gold, 2017