Sustainability: Our Commitment & Vision
As a globally-minded international school, Hong Kong Academy places sustainability at the core of who we are and how we operate. Inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Hong Kong 2050 Climate Action Plan, we continuously look for practical solutions and partnerships which engage students as agents of change, promote environmental stewardship, help us reduce our carbon footprint, raise awareness and action and support vulnerable members of society.
Living LEarning Lab
HKA believes that school communities can inspire new ways of living and contributing to the world. From beach clean-ups to the Fix-It club, biodiesel school buses, solar power, Green Mondays, freecycle uniform and waste composting, our curriculum, operating practices and community initiatives are designed to build the mindset of future leaders and drive sustainable change.
Lasting impact requires long-term commitment and continuous learning. Some recent examples of sustainability initiatives are outlined below, find a more comprehensive history in ‘Journey to Net Zero’.
fix it club
Are you aware of the 5R’s? Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair or Repurpose, and Recycle. By following the 5R’s we conserve resources and promote low carbon living through reducing energy use, waste and greenhouse gases. The Fix It club started as an After School Activity project for Upper Primary and Middle School students with a view to instilling a culture of mending and repair. Students invited faculty to send them loved items that needed some TLC and stepped in to the Design Tech workshop to activate 3D printers and utilise woodworking, sewing and sanding tools to save items such as a First Aid kit, a coffee table and more. The vision of the original team lives on with the students continuing to offer repair services and also using their skills to create props for the theatre and wall display solutions.
Organic Gardening and Biodiversity
Herbs, pineapple, sweet potatoes and passionfruit are just some of the successful harvests our student gardeners have cultivated and enjoyed this year. Along with learning about optimal planting conditions; light, water, soil, nutrition and location, students also learned about the effects of extreme weather conditions. Following a successful flowering period, students were looking forward to an abundance of pumpkins until severe rain storms caused major damage to the crop, teaching students a hard lesson about the impact of climate on agriculture and food supply. The flourishing gardens also provide a pesticide-free oasis for many species of butterflies and insects.
Rooftop Solar Array
HKA’s 10kw photovoltaic solar panel array was installed in the spring of 2023 and generates power which feeds clean energy into the local grid. In its first year the installation generated more than 5,550kw, enough to power an average Hong Kong home for more than a year. Data collection from the installation provides a learning tool for student pojects and HKA also benefits from a 10 year electricity subsidy tariff which will be allocated to maintenance and sustainability initiatives that further promote carbon reduction. Students have advocated that we expand the solar panel installation and we are currently seeking funding to this end.
Journey to Net zero
Hong Kong Academy’s founding principles included commitments to both community and educational outreach as well as self-evaluation and continuous improvement. Over the years there have been many meaningful steps taken on our journey to cutting carbon emissions and we look forward to making many more to come!
2023 - 24
learning living lab
Formed the Learning Living Lab as part of our global citizenship, looking at how students use the school as a learning living lab for sustainable development, environment and economic sustainability.
2023 -24
led school grant
Installed more than 4,400 LED lightbulbs under Hong Kong Greenschools 2.0. LED's last up to three times longer and can save 45-65% of the energy used by fluorescents thereby making our campus more energy efficient.
2023 -24
luuna
Grade 11 student leaders advocated for the installation of sustainable period products in student washrooms. They continue to educate other students via assemblies, monitor product usage, manage and refill the stock.
2023 - 24
Sustainable transport
HKA partnered with school bus provider Synergy Travel Service Limited, introducing biodiesel powered bus routes. By migrating to biodiesel we reduce the use of fossil fuels and associated generation of greenhouse gases and air pollution.
2022 - 23
preserve planet earth
HKA video 'Daily Habits to Preserve Planet Earth' featuring practical carbon reduction tips wins Grand Prize in the Secondary School, Year 1-4 category. Prize money of HK$8,000 was donated to the HKA Annual Fund in support of future student projects.
2022 - 23
IFMA Asia Pacific Awards
HKA commended for environmental stewardship, outstanding contributions to the facility management profession and development of the International Facility Management Association.
2022 - 23
Solar Harvest Scheme
HKA wins grant for the installation of a 10kw rooftop solar array. In its first year of life the solar array generated more than 5,500kw, enough to power an average Hong Kong home for more than one year.
2021 - 22
butterfly Garden
With funds from the World Wide Fund for Nature HKA installed a butterfly garden in the Early Childhood Playground. The garden provides a flourishing habitat for pollinators thereby supporting the local ecosystem.
2020 - 21
green mondays
hkaEATS introduces Green Monday in support of a healthy diet and reduced carbon footprint. In addition to daily vegan options the Green Monday menu champions a plant based diet and the associated health and climate benefits.
2020 - 21
gold BEAM plus
HKA is the first whole-school campus to be awarded Gold BEAM Plus status by the Green Building Council of Hong Kong. Recognising the many ways which the school adheres to rigorous environmental operational principles, we were proud to receive full marks in the Innovations and Additions category.
2019
First GCD Graduates
HKA became the global administrative center for the Global Citizen Diploma (GCD) in 2018 and in 2019 we celebrated our first cohort of graduates. Through their GCD work students gain deeper understanding of who they are and what they value, and are encouraged to grow as ethical and responsible global citizens.
2019 - 20
redress campaign
HKA joins the Redress campaign for the first time. The Redress programme supports the circular economy and responsible consumption by keeping preloved items out of landfill and inviting consumers to rethink their relationship to fashion.
2017 - 18
waste management
HKA instigates waste separation and recycling management systems throughout the campus including; food waste, metal, glass, paper and plastics .
2018 - 19
sustainability committee
The sustainability committee was formed to drive environmentally-sound decision making based on the the United Nations SDG's. Comprised of students, faculty and staff the committee also collected data and generated dashboards for student learning.
2018 - 19
rise festival
Raise Inspire Share Express (RISE) festival was instigated by a group of students who wished to raise awareness and funds for the Branches of Hope ROAD initiative which supports refugees & asylum seekers locally. RISE has become an annual HKA tradition.
2017 - 18
composting system
Composting bins added to primary school gardens with students responsible for collecting and adding appropriate waste to the composters and turning them to provide compost for the school gardens.
2017 - 18
foodlink x hkaEATS
hkaEATS forms a relationship with Foodlink and begins donating surplus food to deliver it to the less fortunate and minimise waste.
21016 - 17
hka eats
HKA's inhouse catering team hkaEATS was established giving us the opportunity to ban single use plastics and implement a healthy menu with fresh food prepared on site daily..
2016
jane goodall
17 secondary school students met world-renowned primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall, presenting their school-based fair trade action at the CDNIS Roots & Shoots ‘Pieces of Action’ Youth Summit and participating in NGO workshops.
2014 - 15
Global Issues Network
HKA sent it's first middle school student delegation to a Global Issues Network (GIN) conference. Returning from the conference the students formed an action group which decided to focus on making socially responsible purchases, advocating for fair trade and engaging in projects to support child welfare.
2013 - 14
Garden Ambassadors
Student Garden Ambassadors, supported by parent volunteers, took on the challenge of planting seeds and seedlings, cultivating them and maintaining the beds before harvesting and delivering freshly grown food to the classrooms and kitchen.
2013
BEAM PlUS Rating
HKA's newly opened purpose-built campus awarded Provisional Platinum rating under BEAM Plus V1.1. for New Buildings by the Green Buildings Council of Hong Kong. This rating recognised the many sustainable aspects of the campus build including site emissions, material, energy and water use and more.
2013
freecycle uniform
Parent volunteers roll out a Freecycle Uniform programme. Community donations of used uniform in good condition provides families with a free of charge uniform option which also supports the circular economy.
2009 - 10
green site confirmed
HKA granted the Sai Kung green field site. The board's vision for the new campus was a sustainable building design which intentionally included systems which compliment student sustainability awareness and action.
HKA is committed to renewal of our BEAM Plus status in 2025 and is referring to the BEAM Plus framework and Hong Kong Energy Charter to set timelines and targets to guide this important work.
