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News Release from: EC Harris | Subject: Energy saving rooftop garden
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 24 December 2007
EC Harris breath of fresh air to HSBC in
Hong Kong
EC Harris in Hong Kong has delivered HSBC's first-ever energy saving rooftop garden.
Described as a 'sky garden', it has been built on top of the bank's 16-floor office in the heart of Mong Kok The original concrete rooftop has been converted into a 'green' oasis, with turf and a garden partly laid with recycled plastic materials
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 21 Jan 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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It is envisaged that the sky garden will lower roof temperatures by around two degrees Celsius and reduce the air conditioning load for the floor underneath.
A solar-powered film, as thin as a bank card, generates 2kWh of electricity, which helps cut up to 1 tonne of carbon dioxide annually.
The garden also promotes the reuse of wastewater generated from the building's air conditioning system.
Around one cubic metre of water is collected on a daily basis for irrigation.
The project was driven by HSBC's environmental strategy of making it a leading brand for Corporate Social Responsibility and to deliver reductions in the environmental impact of managing HSBC's existing property portfolio.
The project is not only a first for HSBC but the first of its kind for EC Harris' project management team in Hong Kong.
EC Harris not only acted as project manager, but was also concept designer while the garden layout and application were produced by an environmental contractor.
Andy Coy, Partner at EC Harris in Hong Kong, said: "Construction of a sky garden in an existing building like this has been described by many within the building industry as impossible".
"This project clearly demonstrates that effective project planning and management can deliver projects that are at the cutting-edge in latest industry techniques." "Another challenge was that the building's additional planters and features on the roof would induce additional loading that could require reinforcing of the roof slab".
"With the use of low weight materials and broad based planters, the sky garden was finally built without structural strengthening and no extra cost for the client", added Andy Coy.
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