HKUST x Civic Exchange - Exploring Sustainable Smart Initiatives at HKUST for Secondary Schoolers

1. Twenty secondary students from Civic Exchange immersed in a transformative journey at the SSC Hub, gaining first-hand exposure to efforts to achieve long-term carbon neutrality on campus.
    
2. Pitstops included the Urban Spring water fountain system, the Aquaponics system, the EV charging station, i2cool’s solar panel cooling coating on the solar panel, and the Jockey Club’s Lunchbox Lending Programme.
    
3. During the tour, students were surprised at how small actions can bring about significant changes for a more sustainable tomorrow.

Excitement filled the air as around 20 secondary school students from Civic Exchange’s flagship programme “Hong Kong 2050 is now Young Environment Ambassador (YEA)” visited the SSC Hub where innovation meets sustainability on campus! With an exciting campus tour lined up, the SSC team were excited to show the young generation our sustainability efforts towards long-term carbon neutrality in a university setting. These eager-minded students embarked on a transformative journey immersing themselves in a world where environmental responsibility meets creativity.

The tour commenced with a welcoming introduction at the SSC Hub, which covered an overview of the SSC initiative to set the tone for the day. The students were visibly excited, their curiosity piqued by the promise of learning about cutting-edge sustainability projects and the hopes of becoming leaders themselves. 

After a thrilling opening, We were grateful to have Helen Chan from Urban Spring Co. Ltd provide a talk about the Urban Spring Smart Hub project on HKUST. An engaging presentation, Helen explained how the distinctive water fountain system enables the monitoring of water consumption and operational data, streamlining the management of drinking water facilities for enhanced efficiency. Students were fascinated by how the fountain could record the number of water bottles they saved.

Having refilled our much needed water bottles, we ventured out of the SSC Hub and arrived at the UniBistro and Bar, where students delved into the world of aquaponics. This captivating combination of aquaculture and hydroponics hints at a brighter future for sustainable food production. The students were fascinated by the symbiotic relationship between fish and plants, as many shared how they had a similar system in their school and were inspired by the advanced version at HKUST!

Trekking back up the hill, the next pitstop was stationed at the EV fast charging station near Shaw Auditorium, which utilizes an AI edge camera tech to identify unoccupied spots for parking space optimization for EV vehicles and electricity consumption. This stop gave students a peek into the future of green transportation, leaving them impressed with how this technology not only speeds up charging time but also enhances efficiency. Despite a bit of rain starting, it didn’t stop us from continuing with the tour or for students to engage and ask questions! 

Luckily, the rain didn’t last long and off we moved to the LSK rooftop, where the group was introduced by i2cool peers to the application of passive radiative cooling coating for solar panels. The students were really intrigued about the science behind how radiative cooling paint on solar panels could be scaled up for higher energy efficiency. The questions they had were so interesting to listen to and it was great to see how they had the foundational knowledge in place already! 

Onto our final pitstop back at the SSC Hub! The tour concluded with a short talk on the Lunchbox Lending Programme by JCSCCP. This initiative promotes green living and community involvement, and the students were deeply moved by the program’s emphasis on reducing waste and fostering a sense of community. With the achievement of reducing more than 9000 disposables, the project garnered some students’ attention. One of them expressed their astonishment as quoted: “It’s amazing to see how little efforts can magnify and create bigger changes.”

As the day wrapped up, the students departed SSC with newfound aspiration and a deeper commitment to ecocentrism. Through this tour, these young changemakers are now equipped with a vision on how they can contribute to a more sustainable future. We at SSC are proud to have hosted such an inspiring group of students and look forward to seeing the positive impact they will undoubtedly make in the future.