Sustainable luxury

38 Repulse Bay

Hong Kong Island, China

Completed in 2013, 38 Repulse Bay is a luxury residential development comprising three detached houses in a sought-after location on Hong Kong Island.

Arranged over three floors, each house features five bedrooms and spacious living quarters, with balconies and terraces offering views over Deep Water Bay and Middle Island.

With energy efficiency an ever-increasing concern, our client was looking to pursue a retrospective BEAM Plus (Existing Building) certification for the complex. Buro Happold was appointed to assess the current performance of each building, identify areas for improvement and develop a strategy to attain accreditation and ensure the long term sustainability of the development.

Buro Happold was enlisted to help Sino Estate Management elevate the building performance of the development, which was constructed 10 years ago.

Our well-informed approach and clear direction helped both our client and stakeholders select the most feasible options.

38 Repulse Bay has achieved BEAM Plus (Existing Building) certification in the shortest possible time.

Challenge

Although the complex is relatively modern, green building standards have progressed significantly in the last 10 years, making it a challenge for our team to align the properties with current BEAM Plus requirements. We had to undertake in-depth analysis of each building to understand where improvements could be made and ascertain the most effective, cost-efficient options for our client.

Solution

From the outset of this project, we worked closely with Sino Estate Management to understand their priorities and concerns. Using this insight, we were able to focus our solutions around four key factors: operation flexibility, cost-effectiveness, assessment complexity and fulfilment of the sustainability vision.

We then developed an assessment methodology that rated each of our proposed interventions according to its potential efficacy and ease of incorporation. This approach provided a clear direction for both our client and stakeholders to select the most feasible options. It also created a road-map detailing which solutions should be installed now and which could be pursued at a later date.

Using these guidelines, we implemented a number of new systems. Installation of an electronic operations and maintenance platform aligned all building information in one place, making management of systems far easier and more accessible. We also introduced a number of water saving strategies to further enhance the environmental credentials of each property.

By producing a comprehensive document checklist, we were able to monitor the energy efficiency of each house and track the progress made. This enabled us to collaborate with the wider project team through regular catch-up meetings to consolidate changes and share updates.

Value

Establishing clear lines of communication with both our client and other members of the project team enabled us to develop and implement sustainable strategies to achieve BEAM Plus (Existing Building) certification in the shortest possible time. By establishing a framework of initiatives that can be pursued over the forthcoming years, we also paved the way for further green initiatives to be integrated throughout 38 Repulse Bay in the future.