HKUST Environment ,Social and Governance Report 2020-21

Table 1 (HKUST’s Focus area and its corresponding objectives)

Table 2 (HKUST’s goals with its corresponding used strategies)

Category

Goal

Status

Strategy

Focus area

Sustainability education

Living lab

Progress and performance

Building our community

Using the baseline year of 2014, exceed the Hong Kong government energy target by reaching a 15% reduction by 2028. Meet or exceed Science-Based Targets trajectory for reducing overall GHG emissions. Make substantial progress towards UN Sustainable Development Goal #6 CleanWater and Sanitation by limiting potable water consumption to less than 500,000 cubic meters by 2028 By 2028 reduce waste to the landfill by 75% compared to the 2014 baseline year

1. Aggressively pursue energy reduction opportunities as identified 2. Expand renewable energy opportunities 3. Reduce campus-related GHG emissions from tracer gases and refrigerants 4. Expand metering and data collection to improve analytics and predictive actions 5. Expand community-based behavior campaigns to incorporate the contributions of the HKUST community 1. Aggressively pursue water reduction opportunities in student and staff residences 2. Identify and implement grey water recycling projects 3. Identify and implement rain water capture and recycling projects 4. Develop an irrigation reduction infrastructure using sensors and drip irrigation methods 1. Develop and implement an on-campus composting program for biodegradable materials 2. Institute strategies to eliminate disposables from the campus eating establishments 3. Utilize the purchasing power of the university to motivate vendors to reduce the amount of packaging materials brought to campus 4. Establish a space for repairing, trading, and loaning materials to extend their lives and avoid new purchases 1. Focus on improving soil content through eco-friendly techniques such as the use of compost, biochar, and reduction of chemical fertilizers. 2. Establish a metering system for measuring the amount of water used for irrigation and implement water efficiency measures to reduce consumption measurably. 3. Make more areas of the campus available for formal (SSC) and informal engagement and research. 4. Creation of biodiversity zones on campus that can serve as ways to create inventories of bio-activity. 1. Implement campus improvements focused on their contributions to stress reduction and community enjoyment 2. Revise HKUST sustainable catering policy to emphasize Food Made Good Index priority items 3. Develop a measurement and evaluation framework for assessing community well-being. 4. Monitor air quality, lighting, and other comfort indicators for improving campus conditions for staff and students.

Energy and GHG

Introduction Materiality Environment, Social and Governance Sustainability initiatives ESG frameworks

To create the conditions for all students to graduate with

To transform our campus into one where the campus itself is a platform for learning, experimenting, and showcasing new ideas and approaches

To pursue clear and measurable performance targets for efficiency, resource

To create a vibrant community of faculty, staff, and students to become a trusted source of information and inspiration for the Hong Kong region

Objective

sustainability skills and competencies that will prepare them for career challenges

reductions, and campus improvements

Water

Waste to the Landfill

Utilize the campus landscape as an active resource for research, sustainability experimentation, and community engagement.

Landscape and Biodiversity

Under Progress and Performance, 5 specific goals are set with comprehensive strategies. A Sustainable Operations Executive Committee chaired by the Vice President for Administration and Business and composed of faculty, administrative staff and student representatives oversees the implementation of the new sustainability master plan and report progress to the campus community.

Establish a framework for measuring the well-being of the campus community, and include specific measures for continuous improvement.

Community Well-being

Status:

Not met

Partially met

On trend Exceeded or met

Our Net-Zero Journey

Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2020-21

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