The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) is accelerating the global expansion of BEAM Plus, Hong Kong’s leading green building rating system, through new strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) in Saudi Arabia and Kazakhstan, reinforcing its role in advancing sustainable development, green building standards, and green finance collaboration across Belt and Road markets.
Building on its commitment to promoting the wider adoption of BEAM Plus beyond Hong Kong, HKGBC has launched its latest initiative to sign an MOU electronically on 14 July 2026 with the Astana International Financial Centre Green Finance Centre (AIFC GFC) in Kazakhstan, a leading platform promoting green finance and sustainable investment in Central Asia. The MOU was signed by Dr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman of HKGBC, and Mr Manas GIZHDUANIYEV, Chief Executive Officer of AIFC GFC.
This follows the earlier MOU signed with the Saudi Contractors Authority (SCA), the official body responsible for regulating and advancing Saudi Arabia’s construction sector, further strengthening HKGBC’s presence in the Middle East. The MOU was signed by Ir Harry LAI, BBS, Executive Director of HKGBC, and Mr Mohammed AL-AJLAN, Chairman of SCA, during a construction forum in Shenzhen on 14 June 2026, witnessed by Mr Nicholas HO, Commissioner for Belt and Road of the Government of the HKSAR.
Reinforcing Hong Kong’s Role as a Regional Green Hub
Dr CHEUNG Tin-cheung, SBS, Chairman of HKGBC, said, “By connecting green building standards with green finance ecosystems, these strategic partnerships accelerate the adoption of low-carbon development models and extend the global relevance of BEAM Plus. They also reinforce Hong Kong’s position as a regional hub for green building innovation, sustainable finance and professional services.”
Integrating Green Building and Green Finance Across Emerging Markets
Both MOUs establish a strategic collaboration platform spanning the Middle East and Central Asia, bringing together green building expertise and green finance capabilities to support sustainable urban development.
Key areas of cooperation include:
– Exchange of green building standards, sustainability frameworks and technical expertise
– Alignment of green building and green finance practices to support low-carbon development
– Capacity building, professional training and joint industry events
– Promotion of green finance instruments and sustainable investment opportunities
– Market development, pilot projects and technical advisory support
– Industry engagement, data sharing and cross-border collaboration
Advancing BEAM Plus as a Global Green Building Standard
Ir Harry LAI, BBS, Executive Director of HKGBC, said, “By linking the built environment with green finance, these partnerships aim to accelerate the development of climate-resilient, resource-efficient, and low-carbon cities. They also support HKGBC’s strategy to position BEAM Plus as a scalable international green building certification system for sustainable urban development beyond Hong Kong.”
Through its expanding global network of partners, HKGBC is advancing the adoption of BEAM Plus across diverse markets, strengthening alignment with regional regulatory, policy and financing frameworks, facilitating knowledge transfer and professional exchange, and supporting Belt and Road economies in achieving their carbon reduction and sustainability goals.
HKGBC has already established a growing portfolio of international collaborations across Asia and beyond, including partnerships in Malaysia, Thailand, the Chinese Mainland and Macau, as well as initiatives with leading developers to explore applying BEAM Plus in overseas projects.
Photo 1: HKGBC and AIFC GFC signed an MOU electronically on 14 July 2026, establishing a strategic collaboration platform spanning Central Asia. The partnership brings together green building expertise and green finance capabilities to support sustainable urban development.
Photo 2: Facilitated by the Belt and Road Office of the HKSAR Government, HKGBC and SCA formalised their partnership through a MOU, during a construction forum in Shenzhen on 14 June 2026.
About the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC)
The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) is a non-profit, member-led organisation established in 2009 and has become a public body under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance since 2016. The HKGBC strives to promote the standard and development of sustainable buildings in Hong Kong. The HKGBC also aims to raise green building awareness by engaging the government, the industry and the public, and to develop practical solutions for Hong Kong’s unique, subtropical built environment of high-rise, high density urban area, leading Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and to become a world’s exemplar of green building development. The Founding Members of the HKGBC include the Construction Industry Council (CIC), the Business Environment Council (BEC), the BEAM Society Limited (BSL) and the Professional Green Building Council (PGBC).
To learn more about the HKGBC, please visit www.hkgbc.org.hk.
