HONG KONG 2004 - Land, Public Works and Utilities

Superstructure works in 194 building sites started in 2004, involving a total gross floor area of 1.60 million square metres. In 2004, a total of 635 buildings, with a total gross floor area of 2.84 million square metres, were completed at a total cost of $34.5 billion. This compared with 785 buildings, with a total gross floor area of 2.87 million square metres, built at a total cost of $33.1 billion, in 2003.

Major construction works in progress at year-end included the AsiaWorld-Expo at Chek Lap Kok, Phase 2 of Science Park, the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park and the associated Disneyland Resort Line providing transport to the park and the Tung Chung Cable Car project.

In a bid to stop new unauthorised building works (UBWs), a pledge has been introduced to inspect UBWs under construction within 48 hours in response to community reports. Special patrol teams from private consulting firms commissioned by the Buildings Department handled 3 037 reported cases in 2004.

In 2004, altogether 24 577 report cases on UBWs were dealt with, 27 805 removal orders issued; and 41 210 UBWs removed. The total number of 1 710 prosecutions instituted against offenders for erecting UBWs or failing to comply with removal orders has increased by 2.4 times that of the past year. These resulted in 1 141 convictions with fines totaling $5.46 million.

To tackle the problem of existing UBWs, the Buildings Department continued to embark on 'blitz' clearance operations, to demolish in one exercise all external UBWs on a number of buildings in the same district. A total of 1 027 buildings were targeted for 'blitz' clearances in 2004. The programme to remove all illegal rooftop structures on 4 500 single staircase buildings, that would pose a serious fire hazard, continued to gather momentum. Enforcement action against 714 buildings with illegal rooftop structures was completed, compared with 402, 632 and 713 in 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively.

After the territory-wide inspections of the external drainage systems for some 30 000 private buildings during the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, some 6 000 buildings have been identified with drainage defects in the inspections. In 2004, the Buildings Department continued to mobilise owners of these buildings to rectify the defective drains identified. A total of some 5 200 buildings had defects rectified. Buildings Department also continued to take part in joint operations with other relevant departments to tackle hygiene blackspots under the Team Clean initiatives. A total of some 2 140 UBWs and 780 drainage defects in blackspots were removed or rectified in these operations during the year.

Under the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance, joint inspections by the Buildings Department and the Fire Services Department were made to improve fire safety in commercial premises built before 1987. For prescribed commercial premises (banks, betting centres, jewellery shops, shopping arcades, supermarkets), 200 Fire Safety Directions were issued to 120 premises requiring the owners concerned to remedy infractions. For specified commercial buildings (built before 1987), 3 082 Fire Safety Improvement Directions were issued to 140 buildings requiring upgrading of fire safety standards and facilities.

The recently enacted Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance requires the upgrading of essential fire safety provisions in composite and domestic buildings built before 1987. When the ordinance comes into operation, 9 000 composite buildings designed for both domestic and commercial uses will be required to be upgraded with additional fire service installations and fire safety construction. The upgrading programme will be extended to cover the remaining 3 000 domestic buildings where the fire risk involved is lower.

The Building Safety Loan Scheme continued to provide loans to owners who needed financial assistance to carry out works for improving the safety of their buildings. 2 439 loan applications with a total amount of $68.9 million were approved during the year.

Starting from November 2002, a total of 550 buildings were selected for action under the Coordinated Maintenance of Buildings Scheme. Owners of 369 buildings were motivated to take up their maintenance responsibilities. Repair or other improvement works were completed in 211 buildings.

The Buildings Department began a comprehensive review of the Buildings Ordinance and its regulations in 2000. As a result of the review and subsequent legislative exercise, the Buildings (Amendment) Ordinance 2004 was enacted in July 2004 to strengthen safety requirements, facilitate law enforcement, and improve service to the public. The new provisions included the issue of warning notices against UBWs, mandatory provision of emergency vehicular access in new buildings, statutory registration of geotechnical engineers and increase in fines for serious offences under the Buildings Ordinance. In addition, the Buildings Department was consulting the industry in formulating a simplified control regime for the carrying out of minor building works without the need for approval of plans.

To update building design standards, the Buildings Department issued a new code of practice for foundations, and revised codes of practice for structural use of concrete, wind effects on buildings and demolition of buildings.

The Architectural Services Department acts as the Government's architect in providing full professional, technical and financial management services for the development and maintenance of public buildings (other than public housing) in three main areas:

The department has enhanced its strategic roles as the building authority for and steward of government buildings, and as the Government's corporate professional adviser on architectural policies, building planning and maintenance matters.

In 2004, the actual expenditure on building projects undertaken or monitored by the department and on routine maintenance and minor alteration works were $12.99 billion and $2.42 billion respectively. The building projects undertaken by the department were in the following categories:

The construction of 12 schools was completed in 2004, and works on 24 schools were underway for completion in 2005 and 2006. The design for these new schools is site and user-specific, incorporating the individual requirements of the school sponsoring bodies.

The design for schools continues to improve in environmental aspects. Greening and tree-planting works have been promoted in a number of new schools.

The department completed improvements to 560 schools in recent years, including 111 schools in 2004. Improvement works to 295 schools are in progress.

Phase 3 Redevelopment of the Police Headquarters at Arsenal Street in Wan Chai, the Braemar Hill Fire Station-cum-Ambulance Depot, Penny's Bay Fire Station-cum-Ambulance Depot and the Police Post on Lantau were completed during the year.

Construction works in progress included Mong Kok and Kwai Chung Ambulance Depots and Fire Services Department Regional Command Headquarters, Kowloon Tong Fire Station-cum-Ambulance Depot and Kowloon Fire Command Headquarters, the reprovisioning of Civil Aid Service and Fire Services Department Facilities at Site 17 of the West Kowloon Reclamation, Marine Police Outer Waters District Headquarters and Marine Police North Division at Ma Liu Shui, New Territories South Regional Police Headquarters and Operational Base in Tsuen Wan, Immigration Services Training School and Perowne Immigration Centre in Tuen Mun and the reprovisioning of Victoria Prison at the Lai Chi Kok Old Married Quarters Site. Design and construction of the new Independent Commission Against Corruption Headquarters Building in North Point also started during the year.

The Science Park at Pak Shek Kok is designed to cater for the need of a range of tenants from small incubator firms to multinational conglomerates. The buildings are planned within a park-like environment with comprehensive infrastructural facilities, and are equipped with advanced technological and environmental systems.

Phase 1 of the Science Park comprised 10 buildings using a sustainable design approach integrating the landscape through the use of atriums and other innovative features. Construction work started in February 2000 and was completed in June 2004. A total floor area of 120 000 square metres is provided to accommodate research in electronics, biotechnology, precision engineering, information technology and telecommunications.

The enhancement of infection control facilities in six public hospitals and construction of the Welfare Complex at Lai King Headland were completed during the year.

Construction works in progress included the Castle Peak Hospital Redevelopment (Phase 2), the establishment of a Radiotherapy Centre and the redevelopment of the Accident and Emergency Department at Princess Margaret Hospital, the remodeling of Tang Shiu Kin Hospital into an Ambulatory Care Centre, the redevelopment of Staff Quarters for the establishment of a Rehabilitation Block at Tuen Mun Hospital, the remodeling of the Tuen Mun Polyclinic Building for the establishment of an Ophthalmic Centre, the Public Mortuary at Area 26E of Kwai Chung, the new infectious disease centre attached to Princess Margaret Hospital, the Rehabilitation Complex in Tuen Mun, and design and construction of the Residential Training Complex for Juveniles in Tuen Mun.

Projects completed during the year included six open space projects, renovation of the YMCA Wu Kai Sha Youth Village, Ma On Shan Sports Ground (Phase 2), Indoor Recreation Centre/Library in Area 100 of Ma On Shan, Kowloon Bay Recreation Ground, improvements to Lok Wah Playground in Kwun Tong and Water Sports Centre at Stanley Main Beach.

Work started on Indoor Recreation Centre in Area 17 of Tin Shui Wai, improvements to the Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village, District Open Space in Area 18 of Tuen Mun (Phase 2) and additional open space adjacent to the Tsuen Wan Town Hall.

Construction works are in progress on the Tai Kok Tsui Complex, Stanley Complex, District Open Space and Football Pitch in Area 5 of Tai Po, District Open Space in Area 7 of Tung Chung, Cherry Street Park, Hammer Hill Road Park and Tung Wan Beach Building in Cheung Chau.

In 2004, there were three major projects under construction to enhance and sustain tourism in Hong Kong. Construction work of the Hong Kong Wetland Park and the Visitor Centre in Tin Shui Wai and the beautification of the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade will be completed in early 2006 to mid-2006 respectively. Improvement works to Stanley Waterfront were implemented in phases for completion by late 2007.

Improvement works to the Lo Wu Terminal Building and installation of an air-conditioning system at the Lo Wu Crossing Boundary Footbridge continued. Expansion works of customs and immigration facilities at the Sha Tau Kok Control Point are also underway.

Design and construction of the boundary crossing facilities at Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor proceeded in cooperation with the Shenzhen Hong Kong Western Corridor Project Office.

The department is committed to and continued its efforts in furthering the sustainable development of the building industry.

In developing a sustainable design, a holistic approach is adopted to consider the integration and compatibility of the project with the peripheral environment, the conservation and efficient use of land, energy and material resources, the enhancement of indoor environmental quality and the ease to operate, service and maintain.

To promote and guide the industry to pursue environmental sustainability in delivering public projects, the General Specification for Building has been updated. New requirements with green and sustainable principles are added, such as the use of recycled aggregates, timber from certified sustainable forests, paints with low volatile organic compound contents, environmentally friendly carpets and so on.

The department continued to take the lead in using energy efficient technologies in building services installations and promoting the use of renewable energy. During the year, an estimated annual saving of 400 million megajoules of energy was achieved through the use of energy efficient devices and about 4 460 square metres of photovoltaic panels with a total electrical capacity of 560 kilowatts were installed in new projects. A new design concept of Total Energy Heat Pump, through the research and development efforts of the department, has been registered as copyright under the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. This installation not only minimises the dissipation of waste heat into the environment but also greatly increases the overall coefficient of performance of the machine by 200 per cent.

The efforts of the department in promoting sustainability were fully recognised by renowned organisations. Awards received included the President's Prize for the improvement project to Sai Kung Waterfront under the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Award 2003 and the Certificate of Merit for Sai Ying Pun Community Complex under the Quality Building Award 2004. The Public Health Laboratory also received the Certificates of Merit both under the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Award 2003 and the Quality Building Award 2004. These projects met the needs of society and delivered practical values to their users. The Environmental, Health and Safety Report 2003 also received the Commendation for Sustainability Reporting Award 2003 from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Hong Kong.