CIBSE Hong Kong celebrates excellence: award winners revealed

Three project winners crowned at third regional awards and excellence in facilities management and digital innovation recognised

Professor Horace MUI, chair of awards organising committee and Gary Chiang, chair of CIBSE Hong Kong region

The third CIBSE Hong Kong Awards took place last month, with three projects recognised for outstanding performance and accolades given for Facilities Management Team of the year and, for the first time, Best Digital Innovation.

The new digital category acknowledges the integral role that digital innovation will play in shaping the future of building services engineering.

The awards recognise organisations that have played pivotal roles in the design, construction, installation, commissioning, or operation of low-energy buildings with a high-quality built environment.

In his opening speech at the ceremony, Gary Chiang, CIBSE Hong Kong regional chair, said: ‘These awards go beyond design intent or performance specifications, truly acknowledging the impact and effectiveness of engineering solutions in Hong Kong.

‘In an era of sustainability and environmental consciousness, the importance of building services engineering cannot be overstated.’

CIBSE Hong Kong was the Institution’s first non-UK region and is the largest outside of the UK, representing 59% of non-UK and 15% of total membership.

Winners at a glance

Project of the Year Award – Commercial/industrial building
The International Commerce Centre,
Kai Shing Management Services

Project of the Year Award – Public use
Kowloon East Regional Headquarters and Operational Base cum Ngau Tau Kok Divisional police station,
Architectural Services Department and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department

Project of the Year Award – Retrofit building
TKO Plaza
Arup

Facilities Management Team Award
Design-Build-Operate a district cooling system (DCS, phase II works) at Kai Tak Development, and operation and maintenance services of DCS in West Kowloon Culture District,
Hong Kong District Cooling Company

Best Digital Innovation Award
Integrated Smart Management System
Hongkong Land (Property Management)

Project of the Year Award – Commercial/industrial building

Project of the Year – Commercial/industrial building

Hong Kong’s tallest building, the International Commerce Centre (ICC), won the Project of the Year Award –Commercial/industrial. Managed by Kai Shing Management Services, the mission is for the building to become the greenest in Hong Kong.

Using innovations such as chilled water battery technology, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven predictive analysis, and augmented reality maintenance management, the ICC has achieved a remarkable 20 million kWh reduction in electricity consumption over the past decade.

Beyond its architectural prowess, stakeholders in the ICC – including tenants, academic institutions, and non-governmental organisations – collaborate to drive sustainable development and contribute to national and local carbon-neutrality goals.

Project of the Year Award – Public use

Project of the Year – Public use

This award was claimed by the Kowloon East Regional Headquarters and operational base cum Ngau Tau Kok divisional police station.

The judges felt that the project – a reprovisioning effort by the Architectural Services Department and Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) – stood out from the other entries for its innovative sustainable design and energy-efficient features.

The 16-storey complex in Kai Tak integrates renewable energy sources, demand-control ventilation, rainwater harvesting, and a district cooling system, and achieves a 20% reduction in electricity consumption compared with Building Energy Assessment Method Plus estimates.

The project also showcased novel construction methods, employing modular integrated construction/multitrade integrated mechanical, electrical and plumbing, and BIM applications, for enhanced quality, productivity and safety.

Project of the Year – Retrofit

Project of the Year – Retrofit

TKO Plaza, a commercial shopping centre owned by Nan Fung Group, received the Project of the Year – Retrofit award for the project team’s outstanding commitment to carbon neutrality and sustainable development.

Led by Arup, the project integrates corporate Science-Based Targets with asset-level retro-commissioning, addressing challenges such as data availability and operational implications.

A comprehensive energy analysis of the building identified improvement opportunities, overcoming hurdles with a building management system. TKO Plaza’s success with retro-commissioning and using a digital twin to enables accurate evaluations of energy-saving and wellness strategies,  sets a benchmark for sustainable development, the award judges said.

Facilities Management Team Award

Facilities Management Team Award

Hong Kong District Cooling Company won the Facilities Management Team Award for Design-Build-Operate of a district cooling system (Phase II) in Kai Tak and operation/maintenance services in West Kowloon Cultural District.

The second phase of works at Kai Tak has an ultimate cooling capacity of 81,000 refrigeration ton (RT), with a long list of consumers, such as the EMSD Headquarters and Kai Tak MTR Station. In West Kowloon, the M+ district cooling system, initiated in March 2022, supports WKCDA Tower and the M+ Building, with a capacity of 4,900RT. The project prioritises reliability, temperature control, energy efficiency, safety, and seamless integration of new customers, showcasing excellence in district cooling.

Best Digital Innovation Award

Hongkong Land (Property Management) was the winner of the new award category, Best Digital Innovation, for its Integrated Smart Management System (ISMS).

The system includes components such as an integrated building management system, Internet of Things integration, an AI data analytic platform (Jedi), in-app personal comfort control, and an integrated security management system.

The ISMS, initiated in 2012, connects operational systems across buildings, offering valuable insights for enhanced efficiency and sustainability. Components such as Jedi use AI to optimise chiller plant operations, while Centricity empowers tenants with personalised comfort control.