Environmental, Social and Governance Report 2020-21 42 43 Our Net-Zero Journey Introduction Materiality Environment, Social and Governance Sustainability initiatives ESG frameworks Research and Demonstration Applying Eco-Research Ideas Our ‘Living Lab' Campus The Sustainable Smart Campus (SSC) as a Living Lab initiative continued to inspire researchers, staff, and students to test a wide range of novel sustainabilityrelated ideas, with the total number of projects funded under the scheme reaching around 30 since launch in 2019. Initiatives receiving funding in 2020-21 included an innovative way to turn waste into soil amendments of hydrochar; smart tracking lab trays that help automate inventory tracking and storage of chemicals to eliminate wastage of materials in wet laboratories; an extension of the digital twin project; building a self-sustaining, carbon-negative, vertical farm; testing circadian lighting on HKUST campus to improve the wellbeing of campus users; using advanced AI, computer vision, and big data technologies to study the food waste behaviors and food consumption and waste patterns in the canteens etc. Over the year, a section of the Academic Concourse – a major thoroughfare – was renovated to provide a dedicated space with large interactive displays to further raise the profile of the Living Lab initiative. Launched in 2021 when new academic year started, the Living Lab area is now serving as a showcase for its projects and real-time data generated by sustainability initiatives.The SSC also engaged students by facilitating competition that invited innovative and people-centric solutions by integrating technologies and sustainable concepts that can help us improve our campus. The competition drew 60 entries and we rewarded winning teams with a budget and hands-on mentorship to implement their ideas on campus throughout the year. Guangzhou (GZ) Campus Our effort has also extended to the new Guangzhou (GZ) campus where four SSC projects have been adopted in the GZ campus infrastructure and ready to implement in mid-2022. To enhance collaboration between two campuses, SSC seeks to find ways for the new GZ students to collaborate with CWB students on sustainability initiatives through design thinking workshops, camps and other activities.
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