Unlocking Sustainable Solutions for Climate Resilience

Time 

Activity 

2:00 – 2:30p.m.  

Registration 

2:35 – 3:00p.m.

Presentation 1 - Design Mindset for Climate Resilience

Ms Vivian Lee, Executive Director, Water, Sustainability and Climate Change – Greater China, Aurecon 

3:00 – 3:25p.m. 

Presentation 2 - Strategies and Technologies for Enhancing Coastal Infrastructure Resilience

Mr Dickson Tsui, Senior Engineer, Civil Engineering and Development Department, HKSAR

3:25 – 3:55p.m. 

Networking and Refreshment 

3:55 – 4:20p.m. 

Presentation 3 - Current State of Climate Modelling

Prof Alexis Lau, Head and Chair Professor, Division of Environment and Sustainability, HKUST

4:20 – 4:45p.m. 

Presentation 4 - Sustainability and Climate Resilience in Future Railway Stations

Mr Fredrick Leong, Executive Director, Environmental Planning and Green Building, Aurecon

4:45 – 5:10p.m. 

Panel Discussion - How do we mainstream climate resilience?

Moderator: Mr Simon Ng, CEO, Business Environment Council

• Ms Vivian Lee, Director of Operations, Water, Environment and Sustainability - Greater China, Aurecon

• Dr Balamurugan G, Market Director, Environment and Sustainability - Asia, Aurecon

• Mr Dickson Tsui, Senior Engineer, Civil Engineering and Development Department, HKSAR

• Prof Alexis Lau, Head and Chair Professor, Division of Environment and Sustainability, HKUST

5:15 – 6:00p.m. 

Networking Session 

Dr Balamurugan G
Market Director, Environment and Sustainability – Asia, Aurecon

Dr Balamurugan (Bala) brings over 35 years of expertise as an environmental and social safeguards specialist to Aurecon. His extensive professional journey spans across diverse sectors including infrastructure, biodiversity, transportation, energy, and water resources. Having worked on projects in Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, he holds a wealth of experience in navigating complex landscapes.

Notably, Dr Bala has been instrumental in shaping numerous national and sub-national policies and strategic plans, showcasing his pivotal role in driving sustainable development agendas. His leadership extends to spearheading multi-disciplinary environmental and social impact assessment teams for large-scale infrastructure endeavours.

Throughout his career, Dr Bala has been a trusted consultant to various Malaysian government agencies such as the Economic Planning Unit, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, and Department of Environment, among others. He has also lent his expertise to numerous corporations and non-governmental organisations, leaving a profound impact on the realms of environmental and natural resources management.

With a keen focus on sustainable development, Dr Bala's contributions extend beyond project delivery. He has authored a plethora of papers in both local and international journals and has been a distinguished speaker at conferences addressing critical issues in environmental and natural resources management. 

Prof Alexis Lau
Head and Chair Professor, Division of Environment and Sustainability, HKUST

Professor Alexis Lau is the Head and Chair Professor of the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST, a Chair Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Director of the Institute for the Environment at HKUST. He specializes in data analysis and modeling of air quality, weather, and climate. In recent years, his research has focused on interdisciplinary studies concerning total air exposure and health, climate adaptation and resilience, and the development of net-zero tools for decarbonization, including blockchain-based carbon tracking systems and new green finance instruments.

Professor Lau has served on a number of government committees and professional institutes, including as a scientific adviser for the Hong Kong Observatory, a member of the Advisory Council for the Environment, and chair of the qualification panel of the HK Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals. He has also served internationally as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the World Health Organization Panel on the development of a Global Platform on Air Quality and Health, and an expert member of the Environmental Sustainable Transport Program of the United Nations Center for Regional Development, and has lectured for the UN on air quality management in several developing countries.

Ms Vivian Lee
Director of Operations, Water, Environment and Sustainability - Greater China, Aurecon

Vivian has over 25 years of international experience in the environment and sustainability fields. Over the course of her career, Vivian has been deeply involved in numerous sustainability-related projects of various scale and complexity.

She is a Member of the Business Environment Council Climate Change Business Forum Advisory Group and a Member of the Environment and Sustainability Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to joining Aurecon, Vivian held different leadership roles at the Hong Kong Jockey Club, Hong Kong’s Urban Renewal Authority, HSBC, AECOM, Swire SITA Waste Services Limited and URS Corporation, where she was integral in strengthening their suite of sustainability offerings and shaping their business growth in the region.

Mr Fredrick Leong
Executive Director, Environmental Planning and Green Building - Hong Kong, Aurecon

Fred possesses 25+ years experience in EIA, Environmental Monitoring & Audit, site contamination assessment, waste management, landfill gas hazards, environmental due diligence, indoor air quality, pollution control, sustainable building assessment, etc. His projects encompass highways, railways, airport facilities, marine reclamation, site formation, sewage and drainage, landfill and waste facilities, industrial premises, property developments, hospitals, data centres, sports facilities, educational premises.

He serves the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers as a Committee Member of Environmental Division, Member of Environmental Discipline Advisory Panel, Engineering EIA Professional, Member of Major Infrastructure Working Group, and Member of Professional Liaison Group of Tung Chung New Town Extension (appointed by the Civil Engineering and Development Department of HKSAR).

He also serves the Hong Kong Branch of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (UK) as a Committee Member, and has acted as the Senior Vice Chairman, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and Honorary Auditor.

He is appointed by Hong Kong Green Building Council as a Green Building Faculty (Construction Environmental Management, and Water Aspects) and nominated as the Co-opted Member of the Infrastructure Rating System Committee. He is also appointed by BEAM Society Limited as the 1st Vice Chairperson of BEAM Expert Panel in Construction Environmental Management, and the BEAM Expert Panel Member in Water Use.

Mr Simon Ng
Chief Executive Director, Business Environment Council

Mr Simon Ng is Chief Executive Officer of Business Environment Council. He works closely with BEC Board of Directors in setting and implementing organisation goals and strategies conducive to supporting BEC members and the wider business community in the transition towards net-zero economy and a sustainable Hong Kong. Mr Ng runs BEC's daily operations, leads BEC's policy contributions, and ensures BEC's continuing relevance in bringing and creating value to its stakeholders and the community at large. He is also the Vice-Chair of BEC's three Advisory Groups,

Mr Ng has over 25 years of experience in academic and policy research, project management and stakeholder engagement. In particular, Mr Ng is known for his ground-breaking work on ship emissions inventory and evidence-based control policy in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, and his instrumental role in the Fair Winds Charter - a voluntary business initlative to reduce ship emissions. Before taking the CEO position, Mr Ng was BEC's Director of Policy & Research for 3 years. Prior to joining BEC, he was Chief Research Officer of a Hong Kong based think tank, and held teaching and research positions in several local universities. Currently, Mr Ng is a Member of the Advisory Council on the Environment, the Harkourfront Commission, and the Lantau Development Advisory Committee of the Hong Kong SAR Government. Internationally, Mr Ng is an Expert Member of the UNCRD Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport Forum in Asia since 2006.

Mr Dickson Tsui
Senior Engineer, Civil Engineering and Development Department, HKSAR

Mr Tsui is a civil engineer currently working in the Port Works Division of the Civil Engineering and Development Department of the Government.  To cope with the impacts of climate change, he has contributed to the coastal hazards study and the formulation of improvement works and management measures in order to safeguard public safety by mitigating the risks in coastal and low-lying areas in Hong Kong.   Furthermore, he has been involved in developing the shoreline management plan to strategically address the potential risks posed by ongoing sea level rise and changes in storm surge.  This initiative is crucial for enhancing long-term resilience of coastal communities.

In the area of marine asset inspection, Mr Tsui has embraced new technologies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these processes. By adopting innovative inspection techniques, he contributes to better maintenance and management of marine infrastructure, enabling the Government to better prepare for future typhoons and extreme weather conditions.