Foreword
In the capacity of the Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council Limited (HKGBC),
it is my pleasure to present the Hong Kong Green Shop Guide published by the Council.
This Guide aims to provide step-by-step guidelines to encourage the implementation of
environmental improvement projects at shopping malls and retail outlets, as well as inculcating
in the public green shopping habits, under the joint effort to develop Hong Kong into an
energy-efficient and low carbon city.
Founded in 2009, the HKGBC shoulders the mission to combat rising carbon emission
through guiding the development of industry standards, best practices, education and research
projects in green buildings. More recently, the HKGBC launched the HK3030 Campaign with
the ultimate goal to reduce 30% of Hong Kong’s building electricity consumption by the year
2030 (with reference to 2005 electricity consumption levels), via policy initiative, technology
advancement and uptake, as well as the gradual change of the entrenched mentality beneath
our electricity-reliant society.
Going green in the retail industry is important and urgently-needed. In 2012 alone, the total turnover in the retail industry
amounted to approximately 445.4 billion Hong Kong dollars
1
with about 64,000 retail establishments
2
in place. While
buildings in Hong Kong accounts for 90% of Hong Kong’s annual electricity consumption, commercial buildings make up
the bulk. If the electricity-reliant retail industry goes green, a sizable portion of Hong Kong’s greenhouse gas emissions
will be well on its way to being eliminated.
Furthermore, the reduction of greenhouse gases, while it may sound daunting on paper, actually provides many tangible
benefits aside from easing the global warming. The adoption of more energy-efficient technologies, such as energy
efficient heating/cooling systems and lighting, would save the owners and tenants of shopping malls and shops a lot of
operation cost on the building services systems.
That said, cutting electricity consumption is not the only way of going green. Some other ways such as adoption of
passive design, cutting water use, improving indoor environmental quality, using green building materials, as well as
proper operation and maintenance of the buildings can also make a contribution. Going green in the retail industry will not
only protect the environment, but also save money for the owners and tenants of shopping malls, at the same time create
a cozy and pleasant shopping environment for consumers, which contribute to a triple win situation.
This Guide seeks to provide a basic yet thorough guideline for the many shops owners, facility managers and tenants of
malls and shops on how to design, construct, renovate and operate a greener space. The road to building the low carbon
city is not easy, but with the close collaboration of developers, shop owners, tenants and the public, we would reach this
long-term target over time.
Last but not least, this Guide could not have been produced without the leadership and expertise of the HKGBC Hong
Kong Green Shop Guide Steering Committee, a team of professionals from the building industry and public utilities.
I would like to take this chance to express my gratitude to all the Members of the Steering Committee and all the
organisations and individuals who have made invaluable contributions to the development of this guide. Finally, I would
like to thank the Construction Industry Council (CIC) for its funding support.
I hope this guide is not only informative to you, but is also something that we can put into practice which can make
a difference to our lives, our planet and our next generation. Let’s join hands to strive for a sustainable and quality
environment for our economy, and for our community.
1
The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Census and Statistics Department. (31 Jan 2013).
Provisional statistics of retail sales for December 2012 and for the whole year of 2012. Retrieved from 28August 2013, from
2
The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Financial Secretary’s Office. Economic Analysis and
Business Facilitation Unit. Economic Analysis Division. (Feb 2013). 2012 Economic Background and 2013 Prospects.
The Performance of Hong Kong’s Retail Trade Industry. Retrieved 28 August 2013, from
Ir Conrad TC Wong, BBS, JP
Chairman
Hong Kong Green Building Council
Hong Kong Green Building Council 9
