GREENER BUILDING, BETTER BUILDING.

LOCAL LANDMARK, GLOBAL BENCHMARKS.

International Standards of Indoor Air Quality
In 2017, Hung Kuo Building became the first in the Asia Pacific region to achieve the UL2891 Building Indoor Air Quality Certification. After a three-year process we passed a rigorous audit and air sample testing process to achieve this accolade, which we have subsequently gone on to retain through recertification, providingoccupants with independent third-party verification of best-in-class air quality.

World-Class Green Building

In 2019, we went a step further, opting to improve and certify the building’s environmental and human wellbeing performance in a comprehensive, systematic manner with the latest version of the global green building rating system standard, LEED for Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings v4.1. In 2022, we attained a Platinum award with a certification score of 85 pts, the highest result in Taiwan at that time.

GREENER BUILDING, BETTER BUILDING.

When Hung Kuo Building opened its doors in 1989, it would be another year before the world saw its first green building rating system published. While quality and performance have always been priorities for us, since 2014, we have been working diligently to address the sustainability challenges of the 21st Century and meet the growing environmental and social standards of today’s tenants. The changes are significant, and many obstacles had to be overcome, but the results speak for themselves.

Class-leading Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency has been priority since Hung Kuo’s conception, as demonstrated by the 5,240-ton ice storage system installed during construction that still reduces peak grid demand by 19% even with today’s increased power loads.

In the past three years, we’ve built on that standard with various initiatives including replacing our chillers with more efficient, ozone-friendly models; installing new elevators that recover kinetic energy and convert it to electricity; and switching all our interior lighting to LEDs.

Our new vegetative/white hybrid roof also significantly reduces cooling required to keep our top-floor occupants comfortable during Taipei’s hot summers.

BEING A BETTER NEIGHBOR

Hung Kuo’s influence extends beyond its grounds, and we’ve strived to create a positive impact for our neighbors, both the people who live and work around us, and the urban wildlife that enriches Taipei.

Hung Kuo’s increased landscaping cover and hybrid green/reflective roof lessens the urban heat island effect. Our rainwater capture system lowers the burden on municipal drains during heavy rainstorms, reducing the risk of flooding.

We’ve also transformed our landscaping practices, with contractors now only using silent, non-polluting hand-tools, and our Integrated Pest Management system has eliminated pesticide use on the grounds creating an urban oasis for wildlife.

Finally, we implemented a radical redesign of building exterior illumination, subtly accentuating the aesthetics of Hung Kuo’s iconic architecture while dramatically lowering overall illumination levels and potential contribution to light pollution.

PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES

Total building annual electricity consumption fell by 26% and water by 30% despite occupancy rising by 63% during this time. With the help of our tenants, total monthly waste decreased by more than 12% and the amount being diverted from incineration increased by 7%.