Two Pacific Place has been awarded an "Excellent" rating under the Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method (HK-BEAM), becoming the sixth Swire Properties development to achieve this recognition.

The trend began in 1998, when Swire Properties' Lincoln House was the first building in Hong Kong to achieve the HK-BEAM "Excellent" rating. Others that followed suit were One Pacific Place (1999), Oxford House (1999), Devon House (2000) and Dorset House (2000).

The assessment is based on three criteria: global issues and use of resources, local issues, and indoor issues. Singled out as some of the highlights which determined the Excellent rating for Two Pacific Place were:

• an energy efficiency programme;
• use of environmentally friendly refrigerants;
• detection and recovery systems and halon-free fire protection systems to avoid ozone depletion;
• facilities to maximise recycling of office materials; and
• automatic control devices to maximise water conservation.

Commenting on this latest award, Mr. Jolyon Culbertson, Director and General Manager of Swire Properties, said "Social responsibility is one of our corporate values. We are sensitive to the concerns of the community in which we operate. We feel it our duty to exercise leadership and at all times respect the environment which all of us share.

"Two Pacific Place is now more than ten years old. But with ongoing engineering modifications, and our constant quest for greater efficiency, we make it a point to keep such older buildings abreast of today's expectations and requirements.

"Building Exceptional Value is our motto. We regard it as a mandatory requirement for all new office buildings to enhance the quality of life, both for their tenants and neighbours. It is a source of pride to us that we are the developer with the most office buildings to earn this recognition from the HK-BEAM."

As owner and manager of 13 office buildings and three technology centres, Swire Properties is one of the largest office space providers in Hong Kong.

Established as a voluntary scheme for assessment of good building practice, HK-BEAM sets criteria for good environmental performance, recognising such performance through an independently issued certificate. It defines good practice criteria for a range of environmental issues relating to the design, operation, maintenance and management of buildings.

HK-BEAM is modelled on the Building Research Establishment's Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) in the UK, suitably modified to take account of circumstances particular to Hong Kong.

- End -

Visit Swire Properties Media Centre at www.swireproperties.com