Growing up in a rural area in Hong Kong called Lo Wai Village, Leong was always close to nature, such as trees, vegetation, streams, and birds, which developed his affinity for the environment.
“At that time, I noticed that some streams were often contaminated by domestic sewage, rubbish, and pollutants. I became more aware of environmental pollution, such as land contamination, air pollution, and even noise issues, which I later discovered were caused by the urbanisation and industrialisation of the villages. I realised these changes could be irreversible if pollution continued,” explained Leong, executive director of environmental planning and green building for Hong Kong, at Aurecon, a design, engineering, and advisory company.
This experience motivated him to pursue his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in environmental science. He spent the next decade at an environmental engineering consulting firm and then, realising how much emphasis was placed on sustainable property in the 2010s, he turned his attention to smart building design assessment and certification for the next 10 years.
Today, Leong wears multiple hats – many of which revolve around ensuring the built environment does not threaten the natural environment.
Beyond his role at Aurecon, he sits on various boards and committees for green building and infrastructure rating bodies. On any given day, he could be working with clients to reduce their Scope 3 emissions, ensuring that biodiversity is protected when new train stations are built or advising the Hong Kong government on sustainable land development strategies.
Leong feels humbled to play a part in decarbonising Hong Kong’s built environment, which consumes about 90 per cent of electricity and is responsible for 60 per cent of the city’s carbon emissions.
With cities globally developing at breakneck speeds to keep up with expanding urban populations – and also being responsible for 75 per cent of carbon emissions – professionals in the field must understand that business-as-usual expansion is no longer feasible, notes Leong.
“Sustainability is now essential – I believe that a true environmental and sustainability specialist should have both in-depth and broad knowledge and experience to meet the practical needs of different people in society,” he said.
This belief has shaped his career path and continues to guide him daily in advising those at the top on tackling the mammoth yet tricky issue of reducing Hong Kong’s building emissions.
Leong is one of 10 winners in this year’s Eco-Business Sustainability Leadership A-List awards, which celebrate movers and shakers in the sustainability sector within Asia Pacific.
He tells Eco-Business about the decarbonisation challenges within Hong Kong’s built environment, how his team is setting new standards for sustainably integrating infrastructure within natural spaces, and why focusing on greening real estate is the only way Hong Kong will reach net zero by 2050.
Hong Kong’s built environment is responsible for roughly 60 per cent of the city’s carbon emissions, consuming 90 per cent of its electricity and making it a major contributor to Hong Kong’s overall carbon footprint. What is most concerning about these numbers, and is there currently enough regulatory push for green infrastructure?
I believe that Hong Kong needs to find ways to generate as much zero-carbon electricity as possible to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. This includes exploring the use of hydrogen for electricity generation, which has been trialled by utility companies to some extent.
For example, more stringent energy efficiency standards need to be set and energy efficiency enhanced for both new and existing buildings – especially the existing ones. There are already over 50,000 buildings here in Hong Kong, many of which are more than 50 years old, so it requires the full support of various sectors in society to save energy, reduce waste, reduce water consumption and so on.
Currently, I think there is not enough regulatory push; we need more green infrastructure policies and regulations, such as those encouraging the use of renewable energy in electricity generation through sources like wind and solar farms.
On the building side, I think there is motivation to decarbonise, especially with incentives through the BEAM Plus scheme (a standard to rate the sustainability performance of Hong Kong buildings). The Gross Floor Area Concession (an incentive allowing developers extra floor area in exchange for sustainable features) has made good progress in the past 10 to 15 years, but there still needs to be more focus on energy conservation and energy efficiency to decarbonise the built environment.
What is most challenging about decarbonising this sector? Is it retrofitting old buildings or eliminating the embodied carbon from construction materials and processes?
You mentioned a very important concept about how we view buildings in terms of energy use and sustainability from a life cycle perspective. This includes planning, design, construction, operation, demolition, or even cradle-to-cradle (designing buildings so materials can be reused or recycled without waste). So, when we talk about the end of a building’s life, I think increasing regulatory efforts to improve energy conservation and energy efficiency is key.
One challenge is reducing Scope 3 emissions from buildings, because they are often overlooked. These emissions may come from tenant activities, embodied carbon, waste and wastewater treatment, or other indirect greenhouse gas emissions along the value chain.
Roughly 70 per cent of carbon emissions come from the value chain, so Scope 3 emissions are significant and we need to emphasise their reduction. I’m not saying Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions aren’t important, but operationally, focusing on Scope 3 is critical.
When focusing on reduction, we first need to accurately quantify these emissions and then target the most significant sources for reduction. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been focusing on advanced technologies and technological development – specifically, how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to accurately quantify Scope 3 emissions across different aspects.
We have also developed AI algorithms to collect and analyse data on various sources of Scope 3 emissions. This includes emissions linked to retrofitting activities, eco-friendly material substitutions, and the lifecycle impacts of commodities or products used in buildings.
A Bloomberg report noted the lack of green office spaces in Hong Kong compared to other major Asian cities such as Singapore and Tokyo, with developers choosing not to invest in expensive upgrades to boost sustainability credentials. Do you think this could threaten Hong Kong’s status as a business hub, and how should developers approach this issue?
In Hong Kong, we mostly focus on new buildings. I would say more than 90 per cent of new buildings apply for incentives like the GFA concession. There are also other well-known certifications, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Building Environmental Assessment Method Plus (BEAM Plus), or even China’s Three Star, but they are not as popular here as BEAM Plus.
I fully agree with the report’s outcome, however, especially on the point of overseas green building labels serving as good benchmarks for investors – wherever they come from – to ensure their investments align with international environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, global benchmarks, and frameworks like the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Requirements and regulations are evolving, so developers here need to get into the rhythm of investing in sustainability. I think early engagement of sustainability specialists is key to devising cost-effective strategic plans to achieve the required sustainability credentials. This approach saves money and time and minimises the risk of missing the prime time. They will see more fruitful outcomes in the long term.
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The built environment is closely connected to the larger global environment. We need to address both aspects from a life cycle perspective, focusing on future-ready design and planning.
Frederick Leong
Are there any recent technological developments that make it easier to decarbonise real estate and the built environment?
There are many opportunities to decarbonise during the construction stage. For instance, using battery energy storage systems is quite common in Hong Kong to replace traditional diesel-powered generators. Also, electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly used on construction sites. Many sites are adopting on-site renewable energy applications, like solar panels on site offices, to offset energy use.
I also think that designs that use low-carbon construction materials are important. For example, using pulverised fuel ash or ground granulated blast furnace slag to replace cement in concrete, and using rebar (reinforcing steel bars) with 100 per cent recycled content produced by electric arc furnaces. These materials help reduce the carbon footprint of construction.
In terms of construction methods, adopting low-carbon techniques like modular integrated construction and design for manufacturing and assembly is also key. Additionally, some emerging technologies, such as carbon fixation materials – like mineralised concrete or carbon fixation bricks – are promising.
One initiative by the Construction Industry Council is their Carbon Assessment Tool. We’ve been investigating how this tool can be integrated into building information models to facilitate the management and monitoring of carbon emissions from major building materials and processes during the construction phase.
Your team played a key role in the sustainable design of the Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation’s Hung Shui Kiu station, with construction kicking off late last year and due for completion by 2030. What was Aurecon’s role in this project, and how did you ensure that the construction of the station would not negatively impact the surrounding area?
Aurecon is the lead consultant for this project. We conducted the preliminary design as well as the reference design for Hung Shui Kiu Station, which is located on the Tung Chung Line. Our scope includes the design of permanent works and major temporary works for this station, along with modifications to the existing Tung Chung Line viaducts to accommodate the construction of the station.
For this project, I serve as the environmental engineering team leader and the sustainability rating system leader. I lead two main areas: first, the environmental review under the Hong Kong Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Ordinance, and second, driving sustainable design to achieve BEAM certification. My team and I have worked to significantly improve ESG and sustainability initiatives throughout the design of Hung Shui Kiu Station, helping the MTR achieve low-carbon, sustainable, and ESG-related metrics.
Environmental protection is of vital importance in the development of this station. The station adopts carbon-friendly, innovative construction methods and mitigation measures to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and environmental protection standards.
These low-carbon, green, and sustainable elements have also been incorporated into the station’s design to achieve BEAM Plus certification. For example, we integrated sustainable site concepts such as natural ventilation, increased landscaping, and greenery. These measures are key to reducing carbon and lowering electricity consumption.
Additionally, the design minimises resource use, energy consumption, waste generation, and material usage. We incorporated a large solar farm on the station’s roof to harness solar energy and designed rainwater harvesting systems. Noise control measures for both indoor and outdoor environments are also included.
Throughout the design process, our strategy followed several stages: passive design to optimise natural conditions, active design for energy saving, renewable energy use, enhancing microclimate and water management through landscaping and low-carbon construction materials and methods.
Is Hung Shui Kiu the only MTR station with these features?
Not just this station, but other new stations also aim to incorporate various sustainability and environmental measures, although they are designed in different ways. For example, the Tung Chung Line Extension includes Tung Chung East Station, and the Tuen Mun South Extension includes two stations as well. These projects are all happening around the same time, which is why there is a strong emphasis on green building and sustainability measures across them.
You serve on various boards, as well as green building and infrastructure rating committees, such as the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) and the BEAM Expert Panel on Construction Environmental Management. What would you say have been your biggest accomplishments or lessons learned?
I think it’s quite important to serve on professional associations. I’m involved with HKIE, as you mentioned, the Hong Kong Green Building Council, the BEAM Society and the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management. All of these are related to environmental issues.
One of my biggest achievements is serving in the HKIE and advising the Hong Kong government on shaping sustainability policies. This includes contributing to the government’s policy address, the Northern Metropolis developments, and the interim review of the Scheme of Control Agreements for power companies, specifically the review of their air quality objectives. I also advised the 2030 Transport Infrastructure for Our Future strategic studies on railways and major roads.
All of these are part of HKIE’s involvement in public consultations with the government, where we provide advice and comments focused on sustainability, environmental friendliness and future city development perspectives.
I’m very glad to have had the opportunity to serve professional institutions and be involved in these significant public consultation exercises.
Fredrick Leong is pictured here visiting the coastline of the Tung Chung East Extension area, the shoreline of which is being reinforced with mangroves. Image: Fredrick Leong
What kind of new policies or policy changes have been made as a result of you working with the government?
One of the hottest topics recently seems to be the Northern Metropolis developments. Although it covers almost one-third of Hong Kong’s area, it is currently a relatively pristine environment, mostly countryside. The plan is to develop it into a very densely populated area.
We have been working on a long list of sustainability initiatives for this project. This includes city design questions such as: ‘What should we ask the government to consider?’ ‘How do you design developments today that will still be relevant 50 years from now?’ and ‘How do you ensure that future cities are sustainable for generations to come?’
A core objective is the design of the city itself, incorporating nature-positive approaches and blue-green infrastructure development (an approach that combines natural water bodies and vegetation or green spaces). This is very important to ensure that a low-carbon city is established in the future.
The government has adopted these sustainability and environmental principles in its Northern Metropolis developments. Having a strong platform within professional institutions like HKIE allows us to communicate society’s concerns and helps build consensus among different parties and entities. This ensures that future cities truly belong to the people of Hong Kong.
Do you think green real estate will be the only way forward as the world faces warming temperatures, climate change, floods, and stronger typhoons?
I think it’s not just about the built environment; we need to take a broader perspective. As I mentioned, environmental impact is deeply interrelated across different scales.
The built environment is closely connected to the larger global environment. We need to address both aspects from a life cycle perspective, focusing on future-ready design and planning.
These considerations apply not only to the built environment but also to issues like global warming, flood risk, and resilience – all of which can impact buildings and infrastructure.
What advice do you have for individuals who are considering pursuing a career in sustainability or sustainable real estate?
Hard work is very important. We have a Chinese saying, “天道酬勤” (heaven rewards the diligent) – so those who work hard will be rewarded.
So, I do believe that diligence and hard work are prerequisites for anyone who wants to pursue this path and truly enjoy the benefits of sustainability and environmental stewardship.
The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Fredrick Leong was one of 10 sustainability leaders selected for the Eco-Business A-List 2025. Read our stories with the other winners here.
