Zero- Ready-Carbon Building Certification Scheme for Driving Hong Kong towards Carbon Neutrality

Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 set a pathway for decarbonising the electricity supply before 2050. Building sector should play a prominent role in decarbonising the demand side, which is to reduce the energy consumption within buildings. The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) has established a “Zero-Carbon-Ready Building Certification Scheme”, which launched in 2023 to provide necessary guideline to the industry in going for carbon neutrality. The Scheme was developed by making reference with similar scheme of other countries and the carbon neutrality pathways of the two power utilities companies, Hong Kong Electric (HKE) and China Light and Power (CLP). The routes of assessment mechanism can be either “BY EUI” or “BY % Reduction” for existing buildings, and by energy simulation for new buildings. There are three types of certifications for promoting to building owners and developers towards zero carbon ready and net zero building in Hong Kong.