Case Study - Whole School Sustainability Audit
Chinese International School, Hong Kong
mɛtəˈnɔɪə (noun)
a transformation of heart and mind leading to a
change of behavior
This describes what happens when students are effectively engaged in the
rich sustainability learning opportunities their campuses offer.
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Our Whole School Sustainability Audit
Our whole-school, student-centered sustainability audit
consists of 12 modules covering all aspects of sustainability in
schools.
The twelve modules are based on the four C’s of a sustainable
school as illustrated in the wheel to the right:
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Campus
Curriculum
Community
Culture
The audit is led by our experienced team of technical
sustainability experts with experience in international schools.
The outcome of this review is a substantive 200-page report
containing approximately 100 actionable recommendations for
the school which are then classified on a matrix based on cost
and time required to implement.
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Introduction to the Audit (Review)
Our Whole-School Sustainability Audit comprises 12 modules
which span 4-8 weeks each and engage all the school’s key
stakeholders. It may be completed over the course of one academic
year, or alternatively in phases over 18 or 24 months, if preferred.
Each of the modules involve data collection and analysis, as well as a
review of the local context in which the school operates, and each
provides authentic opportunities for student engagement and
learning.
Following the conclusion of the review, we run an all-day in-person
workshop in which the students present their findings to their peers
and then engage in creative individual and team exercises to
envision the school’s sustainable future. Students also present their
findings and their vision to the Board.
The final report includes recommendations for improvement which
serve as a guide to achieving the school’s long term sustainability
aspirations which may include goals - such as becoming a zerocarbon school.
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Case Study: Chinese International School, Hong Kong
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Chinese International School –
who they are and where they started
The Chinese International school is a leading dual-language private
school in Hong Kong with 1,800 students and staff.
Metanoia has worked with the school for the last three years to build
capacity and support the school on its sustainability journey.
At the time of our engagement, a student environmental group was the
main driver of sustainability efforts in the school. The school also had a
community garden, recycling bins and a food waste dehydrator.
However, the school did not have
• an overarching sustainability vision or long-term plan;
• measurement of, or reporting on sustainability performance;
• sustainability policies or other sustainability governance structures;
• renewable energy on campus;
• coordinated integration of sustainability in the curriculum.
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Chinese International School –
what we did together with them
Metanoia carried out a whole-school, student-centered sustainability
audit over the course of the first academic year:
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We maximized student engagement, learning and leadership
opportunities by collaborating closely with students and providing
weekly coaching, mentoring and training in a range of leadership and
analytical skills.
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We provided experiential learning opportunities by using the
campus as a living laboratory.
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We delivered a rigorous and comprehensive review of the school’s
operations and practices through sustainability and carbon footprint
lenses.
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We developed 100+ actionable recommendations and prioritized
them over different cost and time scales.
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We provided real-time technical advice and support for the school
leadership and facilities team.
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We led a one-day vision workshop with students and staff.
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Chinese International School –
examples of outcomes from our work
The following are some of the outcomes that we helped facilitate in the
two academic years following completion of the audit:
Culture: Governance and Policy
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Sustainability Council (SCO) was established with broad stakeholder
representation. Metanoia was invited to sit on the Council as an outside
expert in an ex-officio capacity.
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Four working groups created and tasked by the SCO with
development of four policies on different aspects of sustainability
selected by the Council
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Metanoia participated in all four working groups to support the policy
research throughout the year. Each working group met about four
times during the year in between the SCO meetings.
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Metanoia provided advice and guidance on what constitutes an
effective sustainability policy through our Policy Drafting White Paper.
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Metanoia provided a policy drafting template which was used to
standardize the policy drafts.
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Four robust policy drafts were completed and submitted by the
working groups to the SCO for approval and subsequently proposed
by the SCO Chair to the school’s senior leadership group.
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Chinese International School –
examples of outcomes (cont’d)
The following are some of the outcomes that we helped facilitate in the
second academic year - the year after completion of the audit:
Curriculum: Education for Sustainability
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Metanoia taught a 20-hour project-based learning course on solar
energy design to students, staff, parents and alumni. The school
subsequently installed a rooftop solar array based on designs the
students developed during the course.
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Metanoia was invited to continue as an ex-officio member of and
advisor to the Sustainability Council in its second year.
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Student environmental leaders conducted a follow up review of
sustainability in the curriculum and proposed to the Sustainability
Council (SCO) that more work should be done on this.
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The SCO, following the students’ recommendation, selected
curriculum as a focus areas in its second year. Two curriculum
working groups were established – one led by the head of the
primary school and one by the head of the secondary school to
research best practice in sustainability education and develop case
examples and recommendations for the way forward.
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Metanoia is participating in both working groups which are ongoing.
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Chinese International School –
examples of outcomes (cont’d)
Campus: Green Features
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Student environmental groups are continuing to work on projects that
lead to material reductions in the school’s environmental footprint
based on the audit recommendations.
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The school is currently proceeding with several solar energy
installations based partly on designs of students who took our projectbased learning course on solar energy.
Community: Engagement and Dialogue
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We estimate the audit process resulted in engagement with more than
50% of the school community over the course of the audit year
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School is currently reviewing the place of sustainability in the school’s
mission statement as part of the process of developing its next long
term strategic plan.
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Worked with students and the school’s communications department
to develop a comprehensive program of internal communication about
sustainability in the life of the school
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Ongoing community-wide panel discussions on sustainability.
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Chinese International School –
examples of outcomes (cont’d)
Long Term Sustainability Vision – A Net Zero Carbon, Zero Waste School
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One of the recommendations of the audit was that the school consider
becoming a carbon neutral and a zero waste school.
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In 2021, Metanoia was engaged by CIS to study the feasibility of
decarbonizing the school.
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Based on our detailed knowledge of the school’s plant and operations
(scope 2 emissions) as well as key components of their scope 3
emissions, we modelled several future carbon reduction pathways,
and estimated the residual carbon footprint that would likely require
offsetting.
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We recommended an implementation roadmap to achieve net-zero by
2030 and estimated the total capital cost
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We also recommended various offset portfolios that would have
specific educational benefits as well as the expected annual cost of
this.
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The CIS school community has now made a commitment to become a
net zero carbon and zero waste school.
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CIS’s Post-Audit Sustainability Journey – Highlights *
Established sustainability Council
(SCO) established
Joined The Alliance for
Sustainable Schools and signed
the Sustainable Schools Charter.
Long term strategy incorporates
commitment to sustainability including
becoming zero carbon and zero waste
Installed rooftop solar.
SCO and Footprint (student group)
continue to work towards creating a
more sustainable school
SCO developed four sustainable
procurement policies
2019-2020
Whole-School Sustainability
Audit completed
2020-2021
2021-2022*
2022 – onwards
Decarbonisation feasibility study
…2033
CIS’s 50th anniversary
Trialing mandatory busing
Commenced work on solar facade
SCO working on sustainability in the
curriculum
SCO working on sustainable uniform
Students developing KPIs for water and
energy
*The projects shown here for 2021-2022 are just a few of the 32 recommendations from the Whole-school Sustainability Audit
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that CIS is currently implementing. The audit report contains more than 100 recommendations in total.
“The team at Metanoia is extraordinary. Their technical
expertise across all aspects of school sustainability is
astonishingly comprehensive and always accessible Yet it
is the depth of understanding and intelligence which they
bring to their student-centered approach that is most
impressive. I cannot recommend them highly enough”
Sean Lynch, Head of School
Chinese International School, Hong Kong
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Learn more:
schools@metanoia-eco.com
www.metanoia-eco.com