| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | 23 April 2009 |
23 April 2009, Hong Kong - Swire Properties ('SPL') and Hunan University ('HNU') today jointly announced the establishment of the 'Intelligent Building Control Research Fund' ('the Fund') to promote building energy efficiency for sustainable development.
With SPL's rapid property expansion taking place in major cities in the Mainland, and in extensive communities in Hong Kong, innovation for energy efficiency has become an integral part of sustainability. While SPL has received worldwide recognition over the years for its environmental initiatives, (e.g. it was the first developer in Asia to attain the Regional Technology Award of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)), it aims to push operational standards to a new level by pooling its professional knowledge with China's own expertise through top-tier Mainland universities collaboration.
Subsequent to establishing another research fund with Tsinghua University in 2008, the Company has endeavoured to improve energy performance by further funding HNU in the area of intelligent building control this year. In this collaboration, Swire Properties will be underwriting a HK$3 million fund over the coming three years to conduct research into evolving intelligent building control tools which optimise building energy efficiency and thermal comfort levels.
Such controls will be a powerful tool in ensuring that the energy performance of buildings is maintained at an acceptable sustainable level. However, to date, various technical problems have meant that the industry has not used the capability provided by automated Building Management Systems ('BMS') to any significant degree. The objective of this research fund is therefore to unlock that capability and develop tools which enhance a building's control systems. Extensive testing will be conducted in Swire Properties' own buildings, which results, are hoped to become a knowledge-based resource for the entire property industry. Indeed, the findings of the research will be shared throughout the academic and business sectors.
'We are honoured to be collaborating with the pre-eminent and distinguished research capabilities of Hunan University. This research could well mark a scientific leap forward in how the property industry improves energy efficiency and the sustainable management of its buildings,' said Stephan Spurr, Director and General Manger of Swire Properties. 'The technical support we also receive from Honeywell Ltd., one of the world's leading building management system providers, will create substantial synergy and add further value to the Fund's findings.'
Prof. Cao Yijia, Vice President of Hunan University said, 'Amid the global challenge of climate change, we are glad to have the opportunity to cooperate with Swire Properties, a company with which we share similar aspirations in the creation of sustainability. As a university leading in the field of intelligent building control, we hope to leverage on our strengths to achieve breakthroughs, and contribute to the field of energy saving and the community at large.'
About Swire Properties
Incorporated in 1972, Swire Properties develops and manages commercial, retail and residential properties which offer exceptional and inviting environment in prime locations, with a strategy to 'hub' its investment properties at major mass transportation intersections, providing the highest level of accessibility and connectivity to its tenants and patrons. The completed portfolio and development in progress in Hong Kong totals 15.5 million sq ft (1.44 million sqm) of gross floor area including One Island East completed in March 2008, with Island East, Pacific Place and Festival Walk as its core holdings, reflecting its strength in building communities. Besides Hong Kong, the Company has a presence in China, the USA as well as the UK. In 2008, the Company formed Swire Hotels to create and manage small luxury hotels in Hong Kong, Mainland China and the UK, providing an exceptional experience for travellers who seek individuality, style and personalised service.
In Mainland China, Swire Properties has a portfolio of completed development and development in progress amounting to over 7.9 million sq ft (730,000 sqm). It owns an 80% stake in the retail portions of The Village at Sanlitun and wholly owns a luxury hotel named The Opposite House, in Chaoyang District of Beijing. The Village South and the hotel have been opened since the summer of 2008. The Company owns a 50% interest to develop a retail-led mixed use development in Chaoyang District, adjacent to Jiang Tai in Beijing. Two other substantial Mainland projects currently in progress are the Dazhongli project in Shanghai and TaiKoo Hui in Guangzhou, of which the Company owns 50% and 97% interests respectively.
The Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Hong Kong publicly-listed Swire Pacific Limited whose businesses are grouped under five operating divisions - property, aviation, beverages, marine services and trading & industrial.
Visit Swire Properties website at www.swireproperties.com.
Hunan University
Hunan University is located in Changsha, capital city of Hunan Province. It is a key university affiliated with China's Ministry of Education and included in China's '211 Project' and '985 Project'. The university, dating back to Yuelu Academy founded in 976 A.D., the most famous academy of the Song Dynasty, is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the world.
Hunan University is a comprehensive university with 30 colleges, a staff of over 4,700 (including a faculty of 1,976, of which over 1,200 employments are professors and associate professors, and 14 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering) and a student body of 30,000 of which 10,600 are graduate students.
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