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Old Village School Building after Green Restoration <\/b><\/p>\n
Extends Kind-hearted Minds’ Very First Educational Legacy<\/b><\/p>\n
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HONG KONG SAR –\u00a0Media OutReach<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a018 November 2021 –\u00a0<\/i><\/b>The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation Hong
\u00a0<\/p>\n Back in 1950s
\u00a0<\/p>\n Tzu Chi Hong
\u00a0<\/p>\n This green
Sticking to
\u00a0<\/p>\n The
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\u00a0<\/p>\n “Jockey Club
\u00a0<\/p>\n Other
Tzu Chi
Address
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<\/p>\n 5 Che Kung Miu Road, Tai Wai
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Opening Hours
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<\/p>\n 10:00-12:30 and 13:30-17:00 Mondays, Wednesdays<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n to Sundays (Closed on Tuesdays and Public holidays)<\/p>\n
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Telephone
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<\/p>\n 2337 0158
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Fee<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n Free
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Website
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\nKong Ltd. (hereafter “Tzu Chi Hong Kong”) today announced the Tzu Chi
\nEnvironmental Action Center<\/a> (“Action Center”) located on 5 Che Kung Miu Road
\nwill open to the public for free starting November 20 after green restoration
\nof its original building. The Action Center’s environmental programmes,
\nexhibitions and related expenses, is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club
\nCharities Trust. Setting “Common Understanding, Common Consensus, Collective
\nAction” as its core values, the Action Center aims to promote the public’s
\nawareness of environmental protection that would lead to positive behavioral changes, and hopefully through the strength of collective action to implement environmental protection for body-mind-earth connection, our planet and home could be safeguarded by tackling climatic changes.<\/p>\n
\nHong Kong’s economy had yet to take off and the school dropout rate among rural
\nchildren was high. A Buddhist Free School was opened in 1954 at the site of now
\nAction Center to provide basic education for children living in the
\nneighborhood, thanks to the generous donation by overseas Chinese Boon Haw AW
\nand Boon Par AW.\u00a0 In 1982, the school
\noperator Chi Hong Ching Yuen relocated the then-Primary School to a new campus
\nin Yuen Chau Kok, Shatin. After that, the premises was converted into Chi Hong
\nKindergarten that continued to serve the community until year 2000. Chi Hong
\nChing Yuen then donated the premises to Tzu Chi Hong Kong for charity purposes
\nafter the school building was left vacant for two years. As the structure
\nitself is a typical\u00a0village
\nschool built with local materials, a large part of it was in a state of dilapidation
\nafter six decades of rains and winds.\u00a0
\nHence, a large-scale restoration project was taken place in 2019 to
\nstrengthen its entire architecture, preparing it for the next phase of journey.<\/p>\n
\nKong’s Chief Executive Officer Chung Ling SZE said, “Despite the moderate
\nsize of this Action Center, our thoughtful touches throughout the restoration
\nprocess can be easily seen anywhere. We follow the 7Rs Rule closely – we
\nRESPECT all things, both animate and inanimate; REPAIR things to make them durable
\nas much as possible; RECYCLE all resources in a systematically way; REFUSE
\nexcessive consumption and packaging; encourage to REDUCE at source; REUSE
\nwhenever possible; and RETHINK the importance of the symbiosis between humans
\nand Earth and promote it – making the Action Center an ideal eco-education
\nplace for the public to engage in experiential learning on environmental
\nprotection through ‘Common Understanding, Common Consensus, Collective Action’.
\nI would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to The Hong Kong Jockey Club
\nCharities Trust for its donation to support the environmental programmes of the
\nAction Center, exhibitions and related expenses.” <\/p>\n
\nrestoration project, revolving around the fundamental concept of “Biophilic
\nDesign” is intended to bring visitors closer to the nature. The building uses
\ndaylighting and natural ventilation, so as to connect the exterior scenery with
\nthe interior. The project’s architect Corrin CHAN said, “Tzu Chi Hong Kong
\nhas long been committed to promoting environmental protection in Hong Kong for
\nmany years, advocating ‘Purification at Source’ and emphasizing the actual
\npractice of environmental protection. This explains why eco-friendly renovation
\nappears to be the topmost option. Such transformation has established dialogues
\nbetween the then and now, using green architecture as a means of expressing the
\nAction Center’s aim of promoting environmental protection.”<\/p>\n
\nthe 7Rs Spirit, all restoration works were completed with the use of green building
\nmaterials, including fast-growing eco-bamboos which were used as an alternative
\nto wood on flooring, wall finishes, doors, window frames, windowsills, outdoor
\nfences, and staircase along with handrails; eco-friendly paints with low VOC
\n(volatile organic compound) applied on the exterior and interior of the
\nbuilding; and Palm Eco Board. The rest of materials are: “Da Ai Eco
\nPlastic Wood” made from PET bottles and PE milk bottles; “Ji Si Eco
\nInter-locking Bricks” made from the PE lining of disposed paper containers; as
\nwell as the DIY Yellow Sand Bricks handmade by volunteers. In addition, all
\nwall and floor tiles of the site were donated by a local developer which has
\nbeen keeping the surplus materials from other construction projects in the
\nwarehouse, so as to REDUCE at source.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
\nsolar-powered panels installed atop the building can cover all necessary
\nelectricity demand for the structure. Aiming at carbon neutrality, excess power
\ncan be fed to the central power grid. The rainwater collection system provides
\nwater resources for irrigation and partly for daily cleaning use.<\/p>\n
\nexhibitions, both echoing environmental concern, will be concurrently staged in
\nthe Action Center. The inaugural exhibition Common Understanding \u00b7 Common
\nConsensus \u00b7 Collective Action<\/i><\/b> <\/i>staged at “The Planet Room”,
\npresents the catastrophic imprint on the earth caused by wind disasters,
\nflooding, water pollution, forest fires, and human behaviors through a variety
\nof installations and exhibits, allowing visitors to experience and reflect on
\nthe symbiotic relationship between human beings and Earth, thereby awakening
\nthem to induce individual habitual changes so that they can\u00a0take action
\nfor environmental cause.\u00a0Carbon Reveries<\/i><\/b>\u00a0designed by the
\nartist Chris CHEUNG (h0nh1m) is an interactive ink art installation recording
\nthe astonishing annual increase of carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere
\nthrough the data analysis of climate changes in the past 63 years.<\/p>\n
\nEco Co-Creation Space”
\npresents a themed exhibition A Breeze from the Woods<\/i><\/b> implementing
\nthe principles of the Action Center. In the exhibition the woodwork artist Che
\nLAM delivers the concept of ocean conservation through 108 hand-made wooden
\nsharks of various sizes. Other works include wooden stools and wooden radios
\nillustrate endless possibilities of wood remodeling.<\/p>\n
\nvisit-worthy spaces in the Action Center include “Da Ai Technology Room”
\ndisplaying the achievements of using technology in recycled materials; “Ethical
\nEating Room”, providing a glimpse of vegetarian dining culture and offering
\nvegetarian cooking classes; and “Jing Si Humanistic Culture Room” promoting
\nkindness and love to purify soul. The Action Center handles recycling and
\nsorting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so as to encourage volunteers and
\nvisitors to practice environmental protection in person. Yuk Lin CHOW, a
\nveteran volunteer at Tzu Chi Hong Kong said, “We are very fortunate to have
\ntaken a tougher road by restoring the premises. As opposed to demolition and
\nreconstruction, not only can the restoration preserve the structure but also
\nthe original intention of the building at the time of construction, that is, to
\ncarry on the original intention of providing education. I hope that the founding
\nof the Tzu Chi Environmental Action Center will further enhance Tzu Chi’s
\nenvironmental protection concept of ‘Purification at Source and Quality
\nClassification’. Through exhibitions and other activities, we strive to educate
\nthe public on the benefits of environmental protection and reduce unnecessary
\nmaterial consumption, thereby enabling the harmonic co-existence between
\nmankind and Earth’s resources.”<\/p>\n
\nEnvironmental Action Center<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n
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\n Admission<\/p>\n
\n to register on Action Center official website before visiting. Walk-in visits
\n will be subject to availability.<\/i>
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