Hong Kong Zero Carbon Partnership (ZCP) is a group of public and cross-sector stakeholders for zero carbon buildings which was established in 2015. It was carried out as a project (Hong Kong ‘Zero Carbon Building Partnership’ for Enhancing Public and Stakeholder Engagement) lead by the University of Hong Kong, funded by Construction Industry Council (CIC) to enhance the public and stakeholder engagement in delivering the zero carbon buildings.
Project Background
The zero carbon building approach has been adopted in many countries as an important government strategy for addressing climate change, achieving a low carbon economy and uplifting quality of people’s life. However, the delivery of zero carbon buildings relies heavily on government policy drivers, with a stern lack of public and stakeholder engagement. CIC has constructed the first zero carbon building in HK in 2012, as a signature project to showcase state-of-the-art green design and technologies to the construction industry and raise community awareness of sustainable living. However, how the public and cross-sector stakeholder groups can effectively work in partnership for delivering zero carbon buildings in HK remains a significant socio-technical challenge.
Project plan
The research will be carried out in several interrelated packages:
- Project mobilization and international benchmarking to position Hong Kong public and stakeholders’ understanding, attitude and behaviour with regard to zero carbon buildings;
- ‘Zero Carbon Building Partnership’ launch and operation to engage the wide-ranging stakeholders;
- ‘Zero Carbon Building Portal’ development to provide functions of a real-time on-line IT system to measure and monitor stakeholders’ understanding, attitude and behaviour regarding zero carbon building, wikis & discussion boards, and smart phone interactions;
- Public and stakeholder engagement workshops and sharing seminars to help share knowledge of the principles, practices, policies and priorities of zero carbon building.
Project Objectives
The project aims to help position Hong Kong as a world-class knowledge-based, innovation-driven and multi-stakeholder-engaged hub for zero carbon building in urban environments. zero carbon buildings are interpreted as complex socio-technical systems. There are five objectives:
- To enhance Hong Kong public and stakeholders’ awareness and understanding of zero carbon buildings with regard to the concept, practices, policies, and associated challenges and opportunities;
- To measure, examine and shape Hong Kong public and stakeholders’ attitudes towards zero carbon buildings;
- To encourage and guide Hong Kong public and stakeholders’ behaviours and practices of supporting, engaging with and delivering zero carbon buildings in Hong Kong;
- To establish and maintain a ‘Hong Kong Zero Carbon Partnership’ that consists of the public and stakeholders covering the demand, supply, regulation and institution groups;
- To develop and maintain a ‘Hong Kong Zero Carbon Building Portal’, which is an IT platform and project website, with a real-time on-line system for monitoring public and stakeholders’ understanding, attitude and behaviour regarding zero carbon buildings.