Sustainable Design: Balancing Environmental Concerns and Users’ Well-being

In bustling Hong Kong, architects grapple with the perils of upgrading aged high-density buildings and infrastructure while advocating new design approaches that are environmentally friendly and people-centred.

Dr Tony Ip is a leading voice amongst seasoned architectural practitioners. As founder of Tony Ip Green Architects (TiP), he has carved a unique niche combining his expertise in environmental conservation and heritage conservation. For him, sustainable design places people’s well-being and environmental sustainability at the heart of every decision.

Tony’s journey into sustainable design began decades ago as an environmental engineering undergraduate at the University of Hong Kong. “When I started my engineering degree, no one talked about Green building,” Tony recalls. “But even then, professors warned that landfill could not sustain more than 15, 30 years. I realised that as designers, we must be kinder to our environment.”

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His passion for architecture led him to further his studies at the University of Cambridge, where he explored interdisciplinary design approaches for the built environment. This laid the foundation for his firm’s approach to people-centred sustainable design, encapsulated in the tagline, “There is no Green architecture, only architecture for Green living.”

This philosophy could be seen in TiP’s recent adaptive reuse project to transform the former Portuguese Escola Camões school into the HKREP Education Hub managed by Hong Kong Repertory Theatre. Tony’s team implemented low-carbon retrofitting strategies, such as increasing green coverage, adopting energy-efficient glazing systems, installing skylights with solar glass, and facilitating natural ventilation, which not only enhance the building’s energy efficiency, but also ensure the preservation of its historical significance.

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Ian Tan tells stories about the urban environment we live in. He uses his understanding of cultural heritage, placemaking and conservation to do so. Through interactions with other built environment professionals, he is also inspired by emerging technologies, innovative building solutions and new design strategies that can create a more liveable and inclusive environment for all. He has a PhD in Architecture and currently works at Arup, a global sustainable development consultancy.

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