We understand our role in making and shaping the urban environment. Bringing together our buildings in their architectural form, the greenery and our green efforts, we can build a sustainable future together. Each step counts. Taking a holistic approach, Sino Group initiates programmes and supports the broader community. Together, we can build a better community.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to an eco-friendly lifestyle. The Hong Kong Gold Coast Green Journey, launched in November 2018, epitomises the hotel’s green philosophy. It includes the Green Room, the first recycling-themed hotel room in Hong Kong, and a host of eco ideas.
The Green Room presents visitors with a room furnished and adorned with handmade upcycled items, such as a three-string guitar made from a tin container and recycled wood; an armchair made of wooden wine boxes, pallets and wine corks; a sea wave wall decoration made from recycled plastic bottles; a coffee table and chairs upcycled from magazines and egg cartons, and bed runners made with sample materials.
Over 800 photovoltaic panels have been installed at Hong Kong Gold Coast to harvest solar energy, generating total rated power of more than 279 kW. Smart water dispensers have been installed at easily accessible locations at Sino Hotels, including Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel, to replace plastic bottles in guest rooms and conference facilities. With this initiative, over 430,000 plastic bottles were saved during the first six months.
Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club is equipped with Seabin, a floating rubbish collection device that collects debris, pollutants and oils in the water, also part of the Green Journey plan.
Designed by Smiley Planet, Gold Coast Farm promotes environmental education among children to foster green living from a young age, another highlight of the meaningful undertaking.
Click here to view the Hong Kong Gold Coast Green Journey video.
As a further step after pledging in June 2018 to ban plastic straws, Sino Hotels has installed about 100 smart filtered water stations at City Garden Hotel, Hong Kong Gold Coast Hotel, Island Pacific Hotel, The Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers, The Olympian Hong Kong, and Gold Coast Yacht and Country Club. This is the largest network of water stations in Hong Kong under one hotel group and saved 430,000 plastic bottles during the first six months.
The Group has also extended this initiative to its residential properties, commercial buildings and malls, with the mass distribution of water dispensers, umbrella dryers and reverse vending machines, where more than 52,000 plastic bottles have been collected at malls since installation, translating into a carbon emission reduction
Sino Land Company Limited’s first green loan, Sino Land Green Loan 2018, has received Pre-Issuance Stage Green Finance Certification issued by the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency. Sino Land has also unveiled its Green Finance Framework covering the Group, its affiliates and subsidiaries, to guide the financing of sustainable building developments and enhancements that will deliver environmental benefits in line with the Company’s sustainability vision. The Group has raised HK$2 billion via the green loan and the proceeds will be used to finance the residential project at 24A Kadoorie Avenue in Kowloon.
Sino Group is taking concrete steps to make the most of felled trees.
Felled trees are examined and sorted; trunks, branches and twigs without pests or disease are recycled into compost or mulch, while bigger pieces are given an artful makeover and upcycled into furniture and art pieces.
Some felled trees were also given new uses in a creative fashion. OC STEM Lab, a creative space at Olympian City replete with state-of-art facilities, has hosted an upcycling workshop where children can transform wood recycled from felled trees into coasters. They first designed their own pattern using software, then imprinted the pattern using a laser-cutter. Similarly, at Pacific Palisades, residents and their children used recycled wood to make festive items.
Click here to view the video.
‘The Group strives to make the most of these precious natural resources, many of which are close to the hearts of those living in the neighbourhood. We also hope that this small act can raise awareness of protecting the city’s landscaping and become the preferred practice after typhoons and during the construction process.’
– Daryl Ng, Deputy Chairman, Sino Group
Mission Green Thumb, the second in the ‘Mission Green’ series, is celebrating 10 years of meaningful work this year. A ceremony was staged on 5 June 2019, World Environment Day, which was graced by the Director of EMSD, tenants and community partners.
Through the programme, tenants of Sino Group’s properties are encouraged to adopt plants by making a donation, and name the adopted plants. All proceeds are donated to Hong Chi Association, a local non-governmental organisation supporting intellectually challenged people. Combining gardening, social inclusion and community engagement, the programme provides gardening training, which enables the underprivileged to seek employment in the open market and receive recognition for their skills and talents.
With improvement of their communication skills, concentration and self-confidence, half of the Hong Chi trainees have found jobs in the open market.
Click here to read the full report.
