In a year that has ushered in unparalleled changes in the way people view their homes, office spaces and leisure time, architecturally inspiring Grade-A office space is a virtue in of itself. But what is this worth to tenants? According to a report from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health / Syracuse University Center of Excellence / SUNY Upstate Medical School, workers in green, well-ventilated offices record a 101% increase in cognitive scores (brain function). Research from the World Green Building Council indicates that better indoor air quality (low concentrations of CO2 and pollutants, and high ventilation rates) lead to improvements in performance of up to 8%. “Sustainable buildings with good indoor environmental quality (IEQ) boost productivity”, said Priscilla Wong, member of the Sustainability Steering Committee of Chinachem Group. “One of the most important aspects of green buildings is that they focus on wellbeing and health, which leads to productivity improvement.” Green buildings have their own rating systems. The LEED rating system, developed by the US Green Building Council, is one of the most respected international green building certification standards that is widely accepted by the multinational corporations and is considered as a key office selection criterion. A building can achieve LEED certification under various rating systems after undergoing a technically rigorous process, including the incorporation of green strategies to achieve enhanced energy efficiency and healthy indoor environments. Today, investors, employees, clients, governments and the media are increasingly concerned about what a business is doing to and for the environment. Leasing a LEED-certified building is an effective way to classify the tenant as one that makes a positive commitment to the environment, which can give tenants competitive advantage in their respective industries. Green buildings with good IEQ are shown to improve employee productivity, while improving the health and safety of tenants and users. “A survey released from the US Green Building Council (USGBC) discovered that employees who work in LEED-certified office are healthier, happier and more productive than employees in non-LEED buildings. For instance, 85% of the employees who took part in the survey feel their access to natural sunlight and quality outdoor views boost their overall happiness and productivity”, said Wong. Wong explains that green offices always have higher requirements for fresh-air supply and air quality. “According to the survey done by USGBC, abundant fresh air and better air quality increase mental functions and memory, while improving occupants’ health and reducing sick leave”, she said. When virtue becomes a necessity Science or climate-change deniers, who have dragged their feet on embracing more sustainable models of building by prizing short-term profit over long-term development, have already fallen behind. Historically, the building sector has been a major source of carbon emissions in the city. “Hong Kong’s buildings account for about 90% of the city’s electricity usage, of which over 60% of the carbon emissions are attributable to generating electricity for buildings”, said Wong. Wong went on to say that in response to climate change, Chinachem Group set a reduction target in 2019, namely CCG3038. The target is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 38% by 2030 compared with the base year of 2015. The plan involves six hotels and 22 wholly owned or majority-owned projects, including shopping malls, office buildings, residential buildings, industrial buildings and the Chinachem Group headquarters. The Group also regularly reviews carbon reduction targets in order to catch up with the carbon reduction trend and is planning to adopt a scientifically based reduction target method (SBT) to reduce emissions. The Hong Kong Government has also moved forward on combatting climate change. In the Chief Executive’s 2020 Policy Address, the government announced that the HKSAR will strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. “We believe that our early actions in carbon reduction shall help Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050,” said Wong. The cost of green Wong corrects the outmoded idea that green efforts and sustainable practices are more expensive than traditional practices for buildings. She explains that costs need to be reviewed through a different lens: “It is not about costs justifying the benefits”, she explains. “Rather, it is about an investment that improves and uplifts sustainability features of buildings, benefits the occupants as well as the environment, and eventually saves the planet.” A LEED-certified building is designed to consume less water and electricity. It greatly helps to reduce utility consumption, thereby reducing operational costs to generate immediate savings. But these are small-picture items, said Wong. In the big picture, a building’s lifecycle operational costs are the priority for management teams. By viewing costs through the lens of a lifecycle, a project can achieve a savings even though the initial installation costs are higher. Best-in-class example The One Hennessy Grade-A office building project is located in the heart of Wan Chai. The site was formerly occupied by Asian House and has become an iconic landmark after redevelopment. The roof uses low-absorption materials and vegetation to reduce the heat island effect. Along with other advanced eco-friendly facilities, it can help reduce emissions, save energy, and therefore help protect the environment. For enterprises focusing on environmental protection and intelligent system management applications, it provides an excellent choice of Grade-A office buildings. One Hennessy has since been showered with accolades of prestigious awards, including Asia Pacific Real Estate Awards, the Leading Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Award by the USGBC, as well as being one of the finalists of the 2019 Green Building Award (New Building Category: Completed Projects-Commercial Buildings). It has also won the 19th Construction Safety Award (Silver Award, Best Method Statement), been ranked the fourth by the PRC Magazine among the top ten most iconic buildings in Asia (top in Hong Kong) between 2000 and 2020. Last but not the least, it has been mentioned in the “Hong Kong Report on the State of Sustainable Built Environment 2020” most recently. Joseph Leung, Chinachem Group’s Deputy Director of Leasing said that LEED is widely accepted by multinational corporations (MNCs). “It is a blueprint to create healthy, highly efficient and cost-saving green buildings. Among the benefits of LEED-certified buildings, brand enhancement is a key motivator for tenants.” Leung said that One Hennessy’s reduction in energy consumption and significantly improved indoor environmental quality are precisely what MNCs and new tenants are looking for. Today, considerations such as energy conservation, paperless systems, sustainable transportation options, daylighting (adding natural light to an environment to improve employees’ well-being), and access to nature are all considered “must haves” by tenants. One Hennessy’s annual energy savings are 26% more than the baseline in ASHRAE Energy Standard for Buildings, and the reduction of carbon emissions is equivalent to 60,000 newly planted trees. And tenants will benefit from One Hennessy’s sustainable elements to maximise energy efficiency such as a low-E curtain wall system that reduces the amount of radiation heat gain and allows full use of natural daylight to reduce the energy consumption from artificial lighting; while the building’s façade and the setback zone on the podium roof allows natural lighting and ventilation to reach the pedestrian level. To promote a paperless environment, LED display units are installed on each office floor for displaying notices, promotions and educational materials. Electric vehicle chargers are available in every parking space to encourage the use of electric eco-friendly vehicles. An independent Commissioning Authority was appointed to verify the proper operation of the commissioned systems. This ensures that the building operator keeps the equipment operating under the desired conditions. Metering devices are provided for the building operator to monitor the facility’s operational condition. System maintenance and security services are provided in a socially responsible manner, and innovative technology is adopted to further enhance operations, such as through the use of computer-aided facility management. Equipped with state-of-the-art environmentally friendly facilities, One Hennessy can help reduce carbon emission and energy consumption for environmental conservation. As a leader in sustainable development, One Hennessy’s tenants will be aligned with Green Building ideals and meet or exceed their own ESG standards, remarked Leung. Chinachem’s commitment to its “Triple Bottom Line” principles of “People, Prosperity and Planet” means that the Group is focused on moving beyond profit-making to give back to society. One Hennessy epitomizes these principles: it is designed to make Hong Kong a better place by improving the quality of life, delivering excellent services and accumulating resources for charitable and public benefit, Leung concluded.

Hong Kong is such a densely populated city with so little land and so many people that residents and shop owners commonly argue who has the right to use certain public spaces and how these spaces should be used. This issue has caught the attention of Eric Ho, Founder of Architecture Commons, a design agency for urban innovation located in Wan Chai. In 2019, Ho launched the concept of Neighbourhood Innovation Lab in Wan Chai as the starting point to address the problem. Along with a team of professional architects, Ho set up street polling stations, much like those used by by district councillors. They also conducted focus groups and carried out one-on-one interviews with different stakeholders of the community in an effort to understand the true needs of the neighbourhood. At polling stations located along the bustling streets of Wan Chai, the Neighbourhood Innovation Lab group displayed a series of questions about what was important to the community on beautifully designed cardboard displays. They also asked passers-by to write down their expectations and experiences of the neighbourhood. “One resident reminded us to carefully use a specific stool as the manufacturer had spent thousands of dollars and countless nights to put it together. Another resident told us how he missed the taste of ‘toilet congee’, which had earned its name because it was sold near a public restroom on a local street. Surprisingly, it tasted delicious.” Some would air their grievances to Ho. “There used to be a lot of light industry on Sun, Moon and Star streets. But now the neighbourhood has turned into a café and bar zone. The residents upstairs complain about the noise that party-goers make, and shop owners are often offended when cars park in front of their entrances and occupy their business space. There is a lot of dissatisfaction in such a small community.” In the role of mediator, Ho gathered a variety of insights and data from the neighbourhood and presented the information to the government and property developers. “We suggested a pedestrian zone and asked the developer to move away certain facilities to create more public spaces”, he said. “Hopefully this could ease the tension between people and transport.” In a little more than a year’s time, Neighbourhood Innovation Lab was extended to cover North Point and Central. The next station will be Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong’s first new town in the New Territories. Though there are two MTR stations in the district, Yeung Uk Road appears to be the division between the old Tsuen Wan, where clusters of old tenement buildings are found, and the modern Tsuen Wan, where the 89-storey Nina Tower stands. Nina Tower has long taken into account the needs of the visually impaired and people with disabilities. Tactile guide paths were therefore built to connect the mid-floor of the second phase via an elevated walkway network to other major destinations, such as Parc City, Citywalk 2, Yeung Uk Road Market and Tsuen Wan West MTR Station. These passages were built at least 1.05 metres wide for wheelchairs to pass through and must be flat and free of obstacles, fitted with guardrails and handrails on both sides. On the ground floor of NINA MALL, a piazza welcomes people from all walks of life. Sadly, some grass-root families of the area do not feel comfortable entering the piazza because they don’t believe the upscale mall welcomes them. When Neighbourhood Innovation Lab learnt that some did not feel comfortable at the NINA MALL piazza, they recruited different stakeholders and created a team of Corporate Fellows to tackle the problem. They were asked to attend training sessions regularly for four months and explore possibilities of making Tsuen Wan an inclusive neighbourhood. “A lot of fellows are living in Tsuen Wan. They are very passionate about the neighbourhood and really want to do something to enhance the community”, said Ho. “They suggested holding a flea market at the piazza that different stakeholders can operate together. They also considered putting some performances together with the hope that artistic elements can tear down the walls that used to separate people apart.” At present, there are plans to turn Nina Park into an inclusive destination for the Tsuen Wan neighbourhood. To achieve this goal, Chinachem Group is seeking public opinion and encouraging community engagement and participation to create a better place for the stakeholders.

While the recipe contains just three simple ingredients, the palmier packs a powerful punch. In recent years, the palmier has become one of the most beloved pastries in Hong Kong. The l’hotel team’s new signature heart-shaped palmier pastry will be available for sale at its hotels. The palmier, or palmier cookie, as in French, is nicknamed as a “pig’s ear”, “elephant’s ear” or “palm leaf” because of its shape. In the Latin American world, they call it “orejas”, which means “ear” in Spanish. At a German bakery, it would be called simply a “pig’s ear”, as the bakery staff would likely be perplexed with the word “palmier”. In Hong Kong, surprisingly the nickname is a bit more elegant – and is known as a “butterfly pastry”. It is believed that the palm-sized pastry originated in Europe in the early 20th century. However, its origin remains controversial to this day. Most people think it is of French origin, while others insist that it originated in Australia, Germany or the Middle East. For centuries, palmiers have travelled around the globe and become a favourite snack worldwide, especially in China and Japan. It even became the “signature snack” of the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai. Twenty years ago, you probably would not see freshly made palmiers everywhere, rather they would only be found in certain hotels and traditional bakeries in Hong Kong. Nowadays, with the increasing popularity of Western and Japanese bakeries and palmier stores, freshly made palmiers have become more available. Palmiers taste heavenly: they are buttery, crispy, sweet, and have a more delicate shape than traditional cookies. What is the secret of making these tiny little deliciously flaky palmiers? It all boils down to passion, rather than technique or skill. After all, the palmier is nothing but butter, flour and sugar. A good dough of tender, crunchy and buttery puff pastry takes time to make. The baker must be patient; palmier dough can’t be rushed. The baker must fold the butter into the flour to make the dough, folding the buttery layers repeatedly. It has to be folded quickly or else the butter becomes too soft and it will be hard to handle. The pastry is then rested in the fridge for as many as two to three days. Once chilled, the dough is cut and shaped into a palm-sized butterfly, and sugar is added to the top or the edge. After a high-heat baking this caramelised delicacy is complete. Every step counts and it is a fundamental incarnation of bakery wisdom and art. This small pastry is a celebration of a century of history. Baked with heart and soul, the lovely little treats are delicate and comforting when paired with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

The moon has always been the inspiration for artists who try to articulate its mysterious, seductive power. In general, there is only one full moon per month but in November 2020, two full moons graced the sky. Artists participating in Jockey Club ifva Everywhere Carnival’s annual art project, presented by Hong Kong Arts Centre, launched a light-emitting installation in the night sky from L’hotel Nina et Convention Centre at Tsuen Wan West to coincide with the dual emergences of the full moon in early and late November. Gazing up, Tsuen Wan residents could see the real full moon as well as a lifelike copy hanging below. The artwork installation, named “St. Peter’s Cupboard”, used detailed NASA images of the lunar surface, and was part of the ifva Everywhere exhibition. According to Mick Yip, the artist behind the moon installation, the artwork was inspired by his fascination with the night sky. “I’m enthralled with astronomy, not just studying it, but also astrological calculations and their influence on us,” he said. “My six-year-old daughter’s curiosity about the universe inspired me to come up with this idea.” The art installation features detailed imagery of the moon’s surface, collected from NASA, and gives the audience a chance to see craters and dark spots that once seemed so far away up close. Helium was used to float the installation, with multiple tests carried out prior to the exhibition to make sure it floated steadily in mid-air. According to Kattie Fan, the ifva Festival Director at Hong Kong Arts Centre, “St. Peter’s Cupboard” was met with an enthusiastic response from the district’s residents. “After all, people were bored and wanted to see something new during Covid. The artwork was refreshing and restorative to those who had been stuck at home for so long! They could just see two moons from a distance, whether they were at home or on the waterfront promenade, without breaking any social distancing restriction.” The team had encountered difficulties in identifying a suitable location for launching the installation into the sky, but in the end Chinachem Group gave them a venue, she said. The outdoor space on the 8th floor of Nina Tower, was identified as the perfect location. After comparing all seafront locations across Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories, it was determined that many high-rise residential buildings at Tsuen Wan West meant there would be more audience engagement. Another concern was that Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department has restrictions on flying balloons. According to regulations, a balloon cannot be flown at a height of more than 60 metres above ground level or within 60 metres of any vessel, vehicle or structure. The onshore wind from the Rambler Channel is more moderate compared with other seafront locations. And since the Tsuen Wan location is safely out of the way of aircrafts’ take-off and landing routes, the installation team was able to obtain permission from the Civil Aviation Department to float the balloon at the correct time and place. “We are very grateful to Chinachem for lending us the space,” said Fan. “Most importantly, residents from across the district had the opportunity to participate in the activity in a safe setting. From site selection to confirming the venue, everything was arranged within one month. The event was a great success and we look forward to working with Chinachem again to organise more performances, exhibitions and other activities to expand the audience and promote community engagement.” Organised by Hong Kong Arts Centre and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, and Jockey Club, the ifva Everywhere Carnival 2020 featured a series of exciting events, covering short films, videos, animations and media arts.

For six decades, Chinachem Group has grown with Hong Kong: together they have been through the ups and downs of the city, from the post-war baby boom to the economic boom in the 1980s and 1990s, and to the opportunities we are now navigating. To celebrate its 60th Anniversary, Chinachem Group will organise the “Places with Heart – Chinachem Group’s 60 years of Progress with Hong Kong” exhibition as a retrospect of the past 60 years and a prospect of sustainable city development to inspire visitors through interactive and interesting exhibits. The exhibition will be held between late January and May this year at The Moment, Room 201, 2/F, NINA MALL 1, Tsuen Wan. For details about the exhibition, please visit the Group’s website: www.chinachemgroup.com.

Sol City is a recently completed residential development located to the south of Long Ping Station, right next to the heart of Yuen Long. The development is built with sleek, modern architectural design and pleasant, comfortable interior spaces for residents to relax and enjoy the serene atmosphere away from bustling city life. The new homes at Sol City were assessed by various building inspectors at the invitation of different media outlets. A score of 90 or more was awarded by most of them, confirming the superior quality of the build and the attention to detail.

During the height of the Covid-19 outbreak, Hong Kong school students were forced to embrace remote learning. Unfortunately, not all students have broadband access and computers at home. To help these students, Chinachem Group donated laptops and free Wi-Fi to 53 primary and secondary school students from disadvantaged families in Shek Kip Mei and Sham Shui Po via the “Learn From Home – Youth Online Learning Supporting Scheme”, a project co-organised by the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong – Shek Kip Mei Centre, the Rotary Club of Kai Tak and the Hong Kong Single Parents Association. The package includes a laptop, pre-installed software and SIM cards to each student. It is sufficient for them to have online learning for about three months (one semester).

Property sales brochures have always been a very significant component of marketing properties to homebuyers and they are now designed with fancy illustrations. Ever since the “First-hand Residential Property Sales Ordinance” ruled that detailed requirements had to be included in sales brochures, these brochures have grown in thickness. The sales brochures of decades past were usually a few pages thick. The content was straightforward, focusing on the functionality and accessibility of the project that reflected what homebuyers expected and what they were willing to pay at that time. The design of property sales brochures has evolved over the decades, and so has people’s perception of what liveable homes are. Some 50 or 60 years ago, the cover of property sales brochures usually depicted the building’s façade, much like what we see on the front page of modern brochures today. Floor plans, including the number of flats, layout, floor area, and the locations of lifts and fire escape staircases, were illustrated in the inner pages. The content was usually written from the owner’s perspective, summarising the key features of the property succinctly. The location was illustrated on the back cover. Since there was no MTR at that time, developers would pinpoint the locations of nearby bus stops and piers to attract buyers.