The competition comprised two categories, Future Buildings and Existing Buildings, which each had three main themes: zero carbon and ultra energy efficiency; embodied carbon; health and sustainability. A total of 22 entries from 58 organisations were received and the jury selected three winners and five merit awards from the eight shortlisted finalists.
To ensure that participants proposed practical and feasible solutions, their ideas were based on real data regarding two office towers, One Taikoo Place and Oxford House in Taikoo Place.
Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited’s design for its Taikoo Green Ribbon entry won the Future Building award. This category wanted to see a seamless carbon positive experience for users integrated with innovation and technology. The winner’s design features an innovative workplace that introduces an urban eco-lifestyle concept and includes more than 4,250 sq m of green open space and a 1km landscaped ANZ jogging path.
The plan restores the local ecosystem and biodiversity by using extensive green elements, ranging from wildlife attracting flowers to wind-resistant plants. The building also incorporates sets of passive and active environmental systems inside and out to create an advanced net-zero and carbon neutral development. A natural ventilation strategy minimises energy consumption.
The objective for the Existing Building category was to utilise waste to generate renewable energy. The winning design in this category, The Living Lab, uses a holistic design approach to reduce energy demand and increase on-site renewable energy generation. The building upcycles the algae in the building’s façade together with food waste and black water to generate a renewable electricity supply and hot water for daily operations through the tri-digestion process.