Ir Alvin Lo upholds a life philosophy that aligns seamlessly with the core value of “BEAM Plus” – continuous optimisation and upgrading to adapt to future challenges, regardless of environmental changes. This drive for improvement underpins both his professional accomplishments and the development journey of BEAM Plus Existing Buildings from Version 1.0 to 3.0.

Continuous Upgrading to Meet Tomorrow’s Challenges

In July 2025, BEAM Plus Existing Buildings Version 3.0 was officially launched. As the Convenor of the Steering Committee, Alvin played a pivotal role in overseeing the upgrade. He was fully involved in the entire update process, integrating his technical expertise and extensive hands-on experience, advocating for innovation and collaborative efforts to advance sustainability. This ensures that Version 3.0 not only meets industry needs but also lays the foundation for the broader application of BEAM Plus.

Currently serving as the Director of Decarbonisation Business at CLPe, Alvin is an expert in building and district energy. He has spearheaded multiple sustainable district cooling projects and sustainable building designs and advisory studies, contributing to the low-carbon transition and sustainable development across Asia.

Since 2016, he has volunteered his expertise with the BEAM Society Limited (BSL), serving as Honorary Secretary and a member of several committees, in addition to being the Convenor of BEAM Plus Existing Buildings Version 3.0 Steering Committee.

Regarding this upgrade, he candidly admitted, ‘This is no simple task, but rather an entirely new challenge.’ Yet he remains steadfast in his conviction that by proactively adapting and continuously optimising, the organisation possesses the capability to rise to any challenge, regardless of external circumstances. This upgrade represents not only a proactive response to industry trends but also a crucial step in preparing for future challenges.

Tall Structures Stand on Firm Foundations

Sustainability has long been a global consensus, with energy efficiency and emissions reduction as its cornerstone. For years, Alvin has leveraged his expertise in sustainability, building and district energy to advance the industry’s alignment with Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050 and its net-zero ambitions. He believes any transformation must be grounded in practicality and approached step by step to achieve substantive change. He hopes to leverage his professional expertise to help build a green, live able, and low-carbon social environment.

Alvin’s professional journey began with the “Building Services Engineering” programme at the Vocational Training Council (VTC) in Hong Kong. This learning experience laid a solid foundation for his steady growth in the field of energy and green building. In 2022, he received the VTC Outstanding Alumni Award in recognition of his professional achievements and contributions to the community.

Building Services Engineering underpins daily life within buildings, delivering comfort, safety and convenience for occupants. Alvin highlights how these fundamentals enabled him to deepen his expertise in energy and green building. Over his career, he has attained fellow memberships and Registered Professional Engineer credentials across multiple professional institutions, continually sharpening his professional capability.

Likewise, advancing sustainability across community also requires a firm foundation. From shaping public awareness to environmental consciousness to effecting behaviour change, every step is indispensable. With this in mind, BEAM Plus Existing Buildings Version 3.0 provides clear direction and helps the community as a whole make steady progress on the path of sustainable development.

Simplify and Promote Broad Participation

Amongst his many volunteer activities at BEAM Society, Alvin's experience working within the Assessment Sub-committee under the Technical Review Committee gave him a profound appreciation for the complexity and rigour involved in green building assessments. During the assessment process, he has devoted himself fully to studying different application cases and evaluating the green building ratings of the projects based on a large amount of data. The workload was heavy and hours long, but the valuable experience he gained was invaluable.

Thanks to these experience, in driving the renewal of the “Green Building Assessment for Existing Buildings”, he has steadfastly pursued the goal of “simplifying complexity”, ensuring the tool aligns closely with users' practical needs. The newly launched Version 3.0 aims to reshape the paradigm for “green” existing buildings, encourage broader participation, promote energy conservation and carbon reduction to achieve carbon neutrality, and foster public green awareness and behavioural change.

Version 3.0 simplifies the data collection process and provides clearer guidance to applicants, helping building stakeholders complete their assessment applications more easily.

Continuous Improvement for Greater Efficiency and Effectiveness

Although BEAM Plus has undergone minor updates in the past, more comprehensive and large-scale upgrades are needed to address issues such as global climate change, green finance, and sustainable development. This version upgrade took approximately two and a half years to complete, during which time the opinions of various stakeholders and experts from different fields of the industry were fully considered.

Version 3.0 focuses on providing more comprehensive support through more practical and flexible methods, enabling existing buildings of different ages to improve their sustainability performance. Since existing buildings typically involve multiple stakeholders, past improvements have often been reactive, with many buildings constrained by management resources or technology, leading to slow progress. In response to these real-world challenges, Version 3.0 specifically focuses on local conditions and offers concrete, actionable recommendations to help stakeholders identify the most direct and cost-effective improvement solutions, enabling existing buildings to continuously enhance their performance.

That said, updating legacy items alone is insufficient for today’s complex business environment. To this end, Version 3.0 introduces a forward‑looking Thematic Certification. This new certification route is tailored for areas such as green finance. With a market oriented framework, it enables certification around specific industry themes or combinations thereof to meet evolving needs, while offering a more flexible process.

Small Changes, Big Gains

Hong Kong is committed to achieving carbon neutrality before 2050. Alvin observes that advancing sustainability and reaching carbon neutrality cannot rely on a single track or on government action alone; it requires the whole society must participate. Therefore, alongside promoting green buildings, BSL is expanding education and outreach to wider communities, engaging both the general public and students.

‘Building in Hong Kong have a large difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. Raising the indoor temperature can reduce energy consumption.’ With this simple example, he illustrates how small changes in daily habits can deliver significant improvements.

For Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and become a liveable city for the next generation, it is essential to lay a solid foundation today. Only by extending the concept of sustainable development from the industry to the wider public can we achieve a comprehensive transition from policy-driven initiatives to nationwide participation. The Green Building Environmental Assessment for Existing Buildings Version 3.0 provides an optimal starting point for all sectors of society to embark upon their green transformation journey.