HKUST Explores Cutting-Edge Solutions for Sustainable Campus Operations
As part of its ambitious net-zero roadmap, HKUST is actively exploring innovative technologies to decarbonize campus operations. Recent visits to pioneering construction clean energy and food waste management projects highlight the university's commitment to sustainable transformation.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells: Progress for Green Construction
Construction sites traditionally rely on diesel generators—significant sources of carbon emissions, noise, and air pollution. Seeking cleaner alternatives, representatives from HKUST's Sustainability / Net-Zero Office and Campus Management Office visited Hong Kong's first hydrogen fuel cell demonstration project for construction at the Batch 1A Development in Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation & Technology Park on 9 April 2025.
Developed by China State Construction and Sinosynergy, the 45kW hydrogen fuel cell system provides a zero-emission, low-noise power solution for the construction site office. Supported by the Environment and Ecology Bureau Bureau’s Inter-departmental Working Group on Using Hydrogen as Fuel and the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park, this pilot project demonstrates how clean energy can decarbonize construction practices while aligning with Hong Kong's environmental standards.
From Waste to Energy: Pioneering Sustainable Food Waste Management
Beyond energy solutions, HKUST is also tackling food waste—a major contributor to landfill emissions. Between 10 April and 7 May 2025, representatives from the university’s Sustainability / Net-Zero Office, Campus Management Office and Campus Services Office visited The Chinese University of Hong Kong and Vocational Training Council Pok Fu Lam to study the operations of food waste sorting and pre-treatment systems.
These facilities employ on-site conversion technology, transforming food waste into slurry, which is then processed at sewage treatment works to produce biogas—a renewable energy source. The food waste total recycling solution integrates odor control and anaerobic digestion, creating a closed-loop system that minimizes landfill dependence while generating clean energy.
A Holistic Approach to Net-Zero
HKUST’s dual focus on clean energy adoption and waste-to-resource innovation underscores a comprehensive strategy to achieve carbon neutrality.
For more details, visit our websites on HKUST’s net-zero action plan, energy and waste sustainability initiatives.
