Our Commitment

While HSBC is aiming to improve the environmental sustainability of all of its buildings, some are being overhauled to trial the cost effectiveness and viability of operational and technology-based environmental improvements. The Dubai Internet City (DIC) Building is one of these.

The trial includes a full building audit to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the plant and equipment on site, as well as the operational activities undertaken by staff. This will give a baseline and enable operational improvements to be identified. Work will focus on upgrading the building management and related systems, with a focus on air conditioning as this can account for up to 75% of a building's energy usage. Consideration will also be given to replacing an area of glass roofing with solar photovoltaic panels. This will have a double benefit by reducing direct sunlight heating the building and providing energy from a renewable source.

Low-energy light bulbs have already been fitted throughout the building and further improvements will be made to the automated, intelligent lighting systems. Daylight and motion sensors will ensure that lighting is only provided in occupied areas where natural lighting levels are low.

Staff members within the DIC building are also being encouraged to continue to reduce their own impacts through a range of simple measures such as switching off PCs and other electrical equipment when not in use and recycling their waste.

HSBC North America has opened a branch in Greece, New York which has been given a Gold LEED certification for exceptional environmental performance. Heating and cooling for the building is produced largely from a geo-thermal ground source heat pump. Any additional energy needed is purchased from wind farms.

As well as these advances, the building incorporates many other environmentally-friendly measures, including:

• Capturing and reusing rainwater in plumbing and landscaping;
• Using LED lighting for external signs and automatic internal light sensors which reduce energy consumption by 25% compared with traditional branches. Read about LED lighting energy advantages and other HSBC lighting efficiencies in our Efficient Lighting case study;
• Using 17% recycled construction materials such as bamboo flooring and wheat and corn products for desktops and upholstery;
• Indoor environment monitoring and control systems;
• Landscaping and external designs to prevent an increase in the local air temperature resulting from radiation of the building's energy;
• Thirty-six solar panels on the roof that provide up to 7kW of electricity per day in optimal conditions (full sunlight); this is estimated to save 6 tonnes of CO₂ per year – the same amount of CO₂ produced by 120 people flying from London to Paris.

In the first year, the branch saved US$7,000 as a result of these environmental initiatives while using 71% less water and 52% less energy compared with other HSBC branches.

Two of HSBC’s Global Technology Centres (GLT) have undergone extensive renovation to incorporate innovative environmental technologies. In the last year, these have included:

• Conversion of diesel generators at one site to run on bio-diesel, resulting in a 70% reduction in CO₂ emissions;
• Installation of a water treatment plant which recycles 35,000 litres (9,200 US gallons) per day;
• Installation of a low-energy and solar-powered lighting system. Lighting initiatives will save US$11,000 and 80 tonnes of CO₂ per year;
• Utilisation of a heat and air-conditioning management system with the aim of improving efficiency.

HSBC's global headquarters is situated in Canary Wharf, London, UK. Opened in 2003, the building was designed to be environmentally friendly, and this commitment extends to building practices and the 8,000 employees who work there. Using 100% green electricity, overall electricity consumption was reduced by 5% between 2003 and 2005. Ongoing efforts continue this trend.

This building was the first building in Canary Wharf to achieve the highest rating, Excellent, for BREEAM Management and Operations. This was accomplished by taking various measures, some as simple as providing easily accessible recycling zones on every floor. Other measures taken to reduce the environmental impact of the Canary Wharf building include escalators that go into standby mode when not in use, energy-efficient air conditioning units, and LED (Light Emitting Diode) signage. The building's external signage is turned off during core night hours, saving an estimated 34 tonnes of CO₂ from November to February – equivalent to the amount of CO₂ produced by nearly four average family homes in a year. Another energy-saving project is a bottling plant in the basement to reduce purchases of glass bottles. Read more about the headquarters' bottling plant project in the case study section.

In 2006, the building was awarded an Energy Efficiency Accreditation from the National Energy Foundation which is supported by the Carbon Trust and the Energy Institute. Before giving the accreditation, an independent assessor evaluated HSBC on its investment in energy-efficiency measures, management commitment to energy efficiency, and its progress in meeting its energy goals.

HSBC's Group Service Centres (GSCs) form a large part of our property portfolio. There are 20,000 employees currently working in these centres which support customers in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific with account administration, credit card payments, mortgages and general enquiries. Many of the GSCs are incorporating best practice initiatives and trialling innovative technologies to reduce their environmental impacts.

Initiatives range from water management systems, which utilise sensor-based pumping operations to regulate the flow of water around the building, to sensors on taps and urinals to regulate flow at user level. Some buildings also collect rain water from roof surfaces to refill wells. Two sites, at Kolkata and Colombo, have their own sewage systems and treatment plants on site to allow recycling of water for flushing and landscaping. Hot water for the cafeteria's dishwashing needs is provided by a solar heating system.

Air conditioning systems use up to 75% of buildings' electricity demand, so building management system software allows partial shutdown of the systems and automatic operation of chillers, according to the buildings' requirements. To make further savings on air conditioning costs, a special double glazing coating is applied to windows and roof slabs are insulated to minimise the heating effects of the sun.

GSCs use intelligent lighting systems, including motion sensors to control lighting in enclosed areas and the buildings are fitted throughout with energy saving bulbs. Over the next five years, desk monitors will be replaced, as required, with flat screen monitors, which are 60% more energy-efficient and produce less heat (saving again on air conditioning).

Information is being provided to staff to raise awareness of environmental initiatives and the part they can play. Green travel initiatives, such as providing buses for staff, are already in place and waste segregation and recycling programmes will be introduced to ensure responsible waste disposal throughout the GSCs.

Many HSBC offices get involved with their local communities on environmental and educational initiatives. To find out how the GSC in Hyderabad, India is getting involved, click here.