Liveable Cities & Transportation Theatre

People-Centric Liveable Cities

11 Sep (Thur) Day 1 : 11:20 – 12:10

This session explores how cities can be reimagined with people at the heart of their design and function. In an era where urban spaces must be more than just sustainable, we will examine how to create environments that foster community wellbeing, inclusivity, and vibrant public life. Expert urban designers, policymakers, and community leaders will explore key areas include designing for accessibility across all ages and abilities, integrating nature into urban development, and fostering social cohesion through thoughtful public spaces. This session is a must for those passionate about building cities that put people first, ensuring Hong Kong evolves into a model of inclusive, sustainable urban living.

Learnings

  • Understand how urban design can prioritise community wellbeing through inclusive, human-scale planning.
  • Explore successful case studies of cities that have transformed public spaces to enhance social cohesion and livability.
  • Learn how policy, design, and community engagement can work together to shape more equitable and accessible urban environments.

Post-event Actions

  • Review and assess your current projects or policies to identify opportunities for integrating people-centric design principles.
  • Engage with local communities or stakeholders to gather input on livability challenges and co-create inclusive solutions.

Speakers

Edwin Lau

The Green Earth Limited

Founder

Mr Edwin Lau is the Founder of The Green Earth, an environmental organization promoting resource conservation and zero-waste culture. He has been actively engaged in environmental protection work since the late 1980s. He places great concern on several pressing environmental topics, e.g., waste management, climate change, energy conservation, and air pollution.

Mr Lau keeps offering his recommendations and expressing his opinions through media interviews and open letters on several pressing environmental issues confronting humankind. Most of his published letters can be viewed from the following link https://www.scmp.com/author/edwin-lau

Mr Lau is currently a member of the CUHK Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change Expert Committee and a senior advisor of the Hong Kong Solar Industries Association.

In 2009, Mr Lau was awarded the Medal of Honour by the HKSAR Government in recognition of his long-term contribution to the promotion of environmental protection and environmental education. In the same year, he was also awarded an Outstanding Earth Champion by The Earth Champions Foundation.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

  • More individuals and businesses will act immediately by adopting genuine measures and practices to tackle the escalating environmental crisis.
  • The Government will act fast to roll out the much-needed environmental policies and set a good role model for others to follow suit.

Louise Bergholm

The Consulate General of Sweden in Hong Kong and Macau

Consul General of Sweden to Hong Kong and Macau

Ms Louise Bergholm is the Consul General of Sweden to Hong Kong and Macau since 2023. Having served in various capacities in multiple geographical regions, she accumulated more than three decades of diplomatic experience. Her previous positions include Ambassador of Sweden to Bulgaria, while she was also formerly assigned to Washington DC, USA, and Jakarta, Indonesia. She has been effectively handling a wide scope of topics ranging from politics to economics, with a specific focus on trade policy and promotion.

Ms Bergholm obtained a Master of Science in International Economics degree from the Stockholm School of Economics in Sweden, and studied history, political science and Spanish at the University of Stockholm, Sweden.

Edmund Chan

Civil Engineering and Development Department

Deputy Project Manager (South and Sustainable Lantau)

Edmund CHAN Ping-wa has been working in various government works departments for over 30 years. He is currently Deputy Project Manager of South Development and Sustainable Lantau Office of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD). Edmund is responsible for the implementation and coordination of the planning, design, construction and interface issues relating to the infrastructure development projects mainly in Hong Kong Island, West Kowloon, and partly in Lantau. Edmund oversees the resource planning, contract administration and financial control matters for development projects.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025 

CEDD’s vision is to build to make Hong Kong a world-class sustainable and resilient city for living, working and playing. We are pursuing innovation and technology to enhance the efficiency, productivity, quality and safety of our works. Also, we are championing smart, green and resilient strategies and initiatives in our services. Being a collaborative client, we continue to achieve engineering excellence and people-oriented solutions.

Kam Sing Wong

Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation

Chair

Professor WONG Kam Sing, GBS, JP

Wong was appointed as the Secretary for the Environment, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, between 2012 and 2022. During his ten-year tenure as the “environment minister”, Wong initiated a series of sustainability policy blueprints, from climate actions, energy saving, clean air, popularisation of electric vehicles, waste management and circular economy, to biodiversity, leading Hong Kong towards carbon neutrality before 2050. In mid-2024, he published the book Hong Kong Stories in the Journey towards Carbon Neutrality (邁向碳中和 香港人和事).

Wong is currently Distinguished Department of Architecture Fellow and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at The University of Hong Kong, Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Honorary Professor at Hong Kong Chu Hai College. Since the late 2022, he has started to serve as Chairman of Wu Zhi Qiao (Bridge to China) Charitable Foundation, leading rural revitalization projects in both the Mainland and Hong Kong and integrating youth development and low-carbon green behaviour and practice in the process of volunteer service.

Wong as an architect has developed expertise on sustainable architecture since the early 1990s. He contributed to various award-winning projects and research in sustainable built environment, from pioneering high-density public housing estate Verbena Heights in the early 1990s to CIC-Zero Carbon Park in the early 2010s. Wong was the Founder Chairman of the Environment and Sustainable Development Committee of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (1998-2002), Chairman of the Professional Green Building Council (2009-2010) and Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Building Council (2012).

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

  1. Host a conference on urban-rural sustainability in Hong Kong in early October 2025.
  2. Lead a design studio for masters of architecture students to explore sustainable design in the context of the Northern Metropolis together with an exhibition in early December 2025.
  3. Organise a low-carbon charitable luncheon event in Lai Chi Wo in early December 2025.

 

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