HKUST Environment ,Social and Governance Report 2020-21

Water

Graph 5 (Potable water consumption distribution in HKUST in 2020/21)

HKUST recognizes that responsible water use is important but also a complicated issue. Systems can be affected by water consumption, usage, addition, and discharge, and other impacts stemming from operation. We also recognize the importance of acting toward ensuring our use of water doesn’t undermine the system and availability of water for people and the ecosystem that depend on it, minimizing our negative footprint. In HKUST our two main water sources come from potable water and seawater. For potable water, it is clean and drinkable water from the Hong Kong Water Supplies Department which are used around the HKUST campus. On the other hand, seawater mainly comes from Clear Water Bay, and it is mainly used in toilets on campus or at student halls.

Carteens and Commercial 25.08%

Student Housing 17.57%

Introduction Materiality Environment, Social and Governance Sustainability initiatives ESG frameworks

ChengYuTung Building 4.57% Conference Lodge 0.49% LSK Campus 6.47%

Staff Quarters 16.19%

Public facilities campus 4.57%

Main Academic Buildings 24.34%

Water Consumption Overview in 2020/21

InYear 2020/21, total potable water consumption reached 336,162 cubic meters, (m3), or 336 million liters, which is equivalent to 133 Olympic sized swimming pools. The water consumption per person was 17m 3 , which was a 12% reduction compared to last year. Canteen and commercial, and main academic buildings were where consumed the most water, represented 26% and 24% of overall potable water consumption. Water Use is Environmentally Responsible and Socially Equitable HKUST has achieved a steady reduction in water consumption each year after setting the HKUST 2020 Sustainability Goal in 2014. The reduction in 2019/20 was significant since less people were on campus due to the pandemic. However, the reduction has become less significant during year 2020/21 which may be caused by students returning to campus for study on the latter half of year 2021.

Graph 4 (Potable water consumption breakdown in HKUST in 2020/21)

Measure Names

500K

Carteens and Commercial ChengYuTung Building Conference Lodge LSK Campus Main Academic Buildings Number of Records Public facilities campus Staff Quarters Student Housing

450K

400K

350K

300K

250K

Cubic Meter

200K

Table 8 (Total Water Consumption and Reduction at HKUST)

150K

Year

TotalWater Consumption (Cubic Meters)

Reduction compared to Year 2014 / 15 (Cubic Meters)

Reduction compared to Year 2014 / 15 (Cubic Meters)

100K

50K

2014 / 15 2018 / 19 2019 / 20 2020 / 21

406,158 395,899 342,669 336,162

0 20,259 63,489 69,996

0 20,259 63,489 69,996

0k

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

2016/17

2017/18

2018/19 2019/20 2020/21

Our Net-Zero Journey

Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2020-21

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