SHKP Quarterly

ICC received BREEAM In-Use Outstanding rating by the green building assessment system in recognition of the project's sustainable development ICC 獲英國建築研究所頒發綠色建築評估系統 BREEAM In-Use “傑出”評級 ICC attaches great importance to the responsibility of social sustainable development, and is the race venue of the SHKP Vertical Run for Charity – Race to Hong Kong ICC, promoting its belief of Sports-for-Charity 環球貿易廣場重視社會可持續發展的責任，包括成為“新地公益垂直 跑 – 勇闖香港 ICC ”的比賽場地，宣揚“運動行善”精神 Following the success of the ICC landmark, the Group is building a commercial complex atop the High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station. By combining both green and wellness elements, the new project will leverage synergy with the adjacent ICC, two five-star hotels and the West Kowloon Cultural District to become an international commercial hub in the GBA, promoting the development of Hong Kong's trading and tourism industries space, and 600,000 square feet of shopping mall space. The project combines green and wellness elements to meet the Platinum certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), WELL and BEAM Plus. The project features public green space of about 100,000 square feet, an outdoor viewing deck and part of the West Kowloon Parkway, a 1.5-kilometre walking trail from Yau Tsim Mong to Tai Kok Tsui, including the West Kowloon Cultural District, bringing the old and new communities into harmony. KW is confident that when the project is completed, it will help leverage the strong synergy with the adjacent ICC: “The two projects will provide approximately five million square feet of office space and 1.6 million square feet of retail space in the West Kowloon,” he said. “West Kowloon is now a unique concentration of cultural, arts and leisure facilities in Hong Kong. The High Speed Rail West Kowloon Station provides excellent accessibility to the GBA and the mainland, and an Airport Express check- in station is just a few minutes' walk from the ICC. This incomparable transportation convenience will be the Group’s strength in making its two West Kowloon’s landmark projects become one of the most fashionable and vibrant commercial hubs in Hong Kong.” Leasing market’s intense competition drives the active strengthening of ESG performance Hong Kong's office leasing market is highly competitive, KW pointed out. In view of many large-scale Grade-A commercial buildings that will be successively completed in the future, he said the Group will enhance the quality of both the hardware and software in its properties to maintain its leading position. “Nowadays, when considering whether to lease a site, more corporations look at whether the owner takes a socially responsible approach in its investment projects from a sustainability perspective. This drives our teams to commit to its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) principles in the design, construction and future operations of our projects.” As for software, KW believes that with quality management services, coupled with close, long-term relationships with its tenants, demand for the Group’s office portfolio will continue to be strong. Office leasing performance remains satisfactory amid the pandemic The pandemic, which has lasted over two years, has a major impact on the local and global economy, together with the growing popularity of working from home, leading to pressure on the office-leasing business, KW believes that the impact of the work-from- home culture will take time to be seen. Amid the pandemic, the team has maintained close communication with its tenants to understand their needs, and has been actively working on disinfection and air quality management through the use of the new technology, allowing the tenants to work at ease. As a result, the Group's office portfolio continued to see a satisfactory overall occupancy rate in 2021. He said the demand for quality office space will remain strong once the pandemic subsides. Management theory: giving colleagues a sense of satisfaction “To build a cohesive and trusting team, it is important to create an atmosphere in which colleagues are willing to share information and experience,” he said. KW values the personal development of every teammate, which gives them a sense of satisfaction at work. He empowers his subordinates to take on responsibility, and encourages them to learn and improve their professionalism, so that they can lead their own teams with confidence in tackling different challenges. Referring to his hobby, collecting model trains, KW joked: “Like watching a model train dragging its trucks along tracks in an orderly manner, it's very therapeutic and satisfying to see my colleagues develop their potential and work on their own!” 21