Consultancy Services for Passive Design Review of BEAM Plus
• Researchers: NG Yan Yung, CHEN Liang
• Funding source: Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited

Passive design is of increasing interest in housing design, especially public housing design in that it can maximize occupant health and comfort and minimize energy use by making the building climate responsive and rely less on mechanical and electrical systems. Hong Kong BEAM (Building Environmental Assessment Method) Plus is an assessment tool adopted by Hong Kong Green Building Council to rate and certify green buildings. The key problem of the method at the moment is its bias towards commercial air conditional buildings. An extensive upgrade of BEAM Plus with emphasis on passive housing design is expected to promote building sustainability and contribute to the wellbeing of the society. The project will incorporate the principles of passive design into buildings that can 1) reduce or eliminate heating and cooling loads; 2) reduce greenhouse gas emissions from heating, cooling, mechanical ventilation and lighting; 3) improve comfort; 4) increase occupant health, wellbeing and productivity; and 5) decrease capital, operating and maintenance cost. The project will conduct Gap Analysis, Passive Design Analysis, Passive Design Assessment and Recommendation, Stakeholder Engagement, and BEAM Plus Recommendation and Modification. It will provide a holistic and scientific passive design assessment methodology to assess and qualify the influence of passive design on building sustainability. (SS11733)