Dragages Hong Kong has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Veolia to advance the next phase of Hong Kong’s first comprehensive building retrofit pilot project, supported by Team France partners including Egis, Schneider Electric and Saint-Gobain. The signing ceremony, held at the Residence of the Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, supported by Team France partners including Egis, Schneider Electric and Saint-Gobain.

The collaboration aims to explore integrated approaches to improving building energy performance through engineering innovation, smart technologies and sustainable financing mechanisms. Building on the ongoing partnership between HKUST and Team France, the Phase 2 initiative will initially focus on selected facilities within the HKUST campus while serving as a reference project for the broader market.

As a signatory to the MoU and a key member of Team France, Dragages Hong Kong will contribute its expertise in sustainable construction, project delivery and energy retrofit solutions. The company will work alongside project partners to assess retrofit opportunities, develop implementation strategies and explore innovative models that can facilitate the large-scale transformation of existing buildings.

A key objective of the initiative is to demonstrate the viability of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) as an effective pathway to accelerate building retrofits in Hong Kong. Through the EPC model, energy efficiency improvements can be supported by future energy savings, reducing upfront investment requirements while ensuring measurable and verifiable performance outcomes. The collaboration will also explore financing approaches inspired by Public-Private Partnership (PPP) principles to help unlock opportunities for wider adoption across the city.

Mr. Bruno Botella, CEO Asia Pacific of Bouygues Bâtiment International, said “This MoU marks an important milestone in advancing the decarbonisation of Hong Kong’s built environment. Together, we aim to demonstrate effective retrofit approaches that can improve the energy performance of existing buildings and support Hong Kong’s carbon neutrality ambitions.”

With more than 70 years of experience contributing to Hong Kong’s urban development, Dragages Hong Kong has played a key role in shaping the city’s infrastructure and built environment. As part of Bouygues Construction, the company also benefits from extensive international expertise in energy renovation, low-carbon construction and performance-based retrofit projects delivered in France and around the world. Through this collaboration, Dragages Hong Kong is bringing proven experience, innovative EPC and PPP-inspired approaches, and international best practices to Hong Kong, helping establish a replicable framework for building decarbonisation and supporting the city’s transition to a more sustainable and resilient future.