Navigating The Path to Improve ESG Performance for Existing Building Assets

Ir Sr Jonathan LEE

Deputy Managing Director
Savills Services Group

Ir Sr Jonathan Lee, Deputy Managing Director of Savills Services Group, is anall-round professional with more than 30 years of solid and distinctiveexperience in the field of ESG, property & facility management, technical &engineering services.

His managed buildings comprise office tower, commercial arcade, residentialestate, institution, government property, luxury villas and industrial building,with over 150 million square feet of GFA. He is a Chartered Surveyor (FRICS,FHKIS, RPS), Chartered Engineer (FHKIE, RPE) and Green BuildingProfessionals (GB Faculty, BEAM Pro, LEED AP). Jonathan is also a veteranmember of various professional bodies, for instance, President of The HongKong Institute of Facility Management, Past President of Building ServicesOperation and Maintenance Executives Society (BSOMES), Former ViceChairman of Property and Facility Management Division of The Hong KongInstitute of Surveyors, Director of BEAM Society Limited as well as FormerCommittee Member of Building Services Division in The Hong KongInstitution of Engineers.

In view of green concepts prevailing to new construction triggered by theincentive of GFA concession, Jonathan turns to put more focus on promotingthe sustainability improvement for the existing properties and recognition forgreen best practices, with the concept of “Better than Yesterday”. In the past two years, there were over 43 properties granted for Excellent Awards ofBEAM Plus EB MAN under his leadership and technical guidance. In additionto the best management practices, he is also keen to adapt the latesttechnologies for enhancing the ESG performance, e.g. energy efficientsystems, AI, IoT, data analysis, robotics, zero carbon ready building, retro-commissioning, retrofitting, waste recycle management, greenery, etc.

Abstract

Combating climate change is of paramount importance for sustainable future. In addition to environmental design for the new building development and infrastructure, ESG improvement on the existing building assets is crucial to the trajectory of net zero carbon emission. In this aspect, FM people plays an important role to path for green enhancement of building facilities, eg, building material, renewable energy, building efficiency, etc, in parallel with maintaining smooth operation of building over the whole life cycle. In this speech, we will delve into the current state of green performance in existing buildings, the challenge and opportunities that lie ahead for achieving better outcomes, the significance of green certificates, as well as the role of innovation and technologies in this process.