Hong Kong 2006 - Land, Public Works and Utilities

Quality buildings are necessary features of a prosperous and modern metropolis. The Buildings Department facilitates and promotes the construction and maintenance of quality buildings and strive to make the resulting environment safe and healthy for the community as a whole.

During the year, work on superstructures started at 139 building sites, involving a total gross floor area of 1.82 million square metres. A total of 811 buildings, with a combined gross floor area of 2.5 million square metres, were completed at a cost of $25.6 billion compared with 785 buildings, with a gross floor area of 2.22 million square metres, built at a cost of $25.9 billion, in 2005.

The SkyPlaza at Chek Lap Kok and the Tung Chung Cable Car projects were also completed during the year. Major construction works in progress at year-end included the conversion of existing monuments at the former Marine Police Headquarters in Tsim Sha Tsui into a heritage hotel and shopping complex.

During the year, 26 447 reported cases of unauthorised building works (UBWs) were dealt with, 32 711 orders requiring their removal were issued and 48 479 UBWs were removed. Prosecutions of offenders for failing to comply with removal orders numbered 3 042. There were 1 997 convictions involving fines amounting to $7.8 million.

To tackle the problem of existing UBWs, the Buildings Department continued its 'blitz' clearance operations, demolishing in one go all external UBWs including large glass panel walls, large TV screens, large signboards and UBWs on cantilevered slab balconies in a number of buildings in populated districts. Some 1 169 buildings were dealt with in the 'blitz' in 2006. The programme to remove illegal rooftop structures on single staircase buildings continued. Illegal rooftop structures on 704 such buildings were removed in 2006, compared with 402, 632, 713, 714 and 705 in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively.

To raise community awareness of liability issues caused by UBWs, the department issued 8 498 statutory warning notices that could be registered against property title in respect of UBWs. In a bid to stop the erection of new UBWs, special patrol teams were commissioned by the Buildings Department to inspect UBWs under construction within 48 hours of receiving reports from the public about UBWs. During the year, the department handled 3 568 reported cases.

Inspections were made jointly by the Buildings Department and Fire Services Department on commercial premises to enforce the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance. The buildings that were inspected included banks, betting centres, jewellery shops, shopping arcades and supermarkets, and specified commercial buildings built before 1987. Some 190 prescribed commercial premises were issued with 203 Fire Safety Directions and some 140 specified commercial buildings with 3 003 Fire Safety Improvement Directions, requiring the owners to upgrade fire safety devices and installations in their buildings.

As a long-term strategy to resolve the problem of building neglect and to meet public expectations of a safer and healthier living environment, the Buildings Department has been fleshing out the details of a mandatory building inspection scheme and a mandatory window inspection scheme following wide public consultation. There was a general public consensus that building owners should bear the ultimate responsibility for maintaining and repairing their buildings. Adequate technical and financial support will be provided to building owners when the proposed schemes are implemented.

The Buildings Department is finalising a simplified regulatory system that would not require the prior approval of plans by the Building Authority for the carrying out of minor works. Drafting of legislative amendments to bring this about is nearing completion. In addition, the Buildings Department is exploring ways to further facilitate the adoption of modern and innovative building designs.

The Architectural Services Department is the Government's architect and is responsible for the development, project management, design, construction and maintenance of all government buildings and public facilities, other than public housing. The department is also the corporate professional adviser to the Government. It advises on government-aided projects as well, and oversees subvented and joint-venture projects. The three main areas of services the department provided during the year were:

In 2006, $9 billion was spent on building projects undertaken or monitored by the department and $1.8 billion on routine maintenance and minor alteration works. The projects were listed under the following headings:

During the year, 10 school projects were completed and seven were started and due for completion in 2007 and 2008. All of the completed schools were custom-designed to suit specific site conditions and user requirements. The concept of enhanced greening was also integrated in the design which called for the planting of lots of trees around playgrounds and to form part of the landscaping on upper decks and rooftops. Energy efficient and renewable energy installations were used to achieve sustainable design.

The department also made improvements to 692 school buildings in recent years, 35 of which were touched up in 2006 under the School Improvement Programme.

The Residential Training Complex for Juveniles in Tuen Mun was completed during the year. But work is continuing on the staff quarters for a rehabilitation block at Tuen Mun Hospital, the new Infectious Disease Centre attached to Princess Margaret Hospital, the conversion of Kowloon Hospital Nursing Quarters into the Centre for Health Protection and on improving the facilities at the Specialist Outpatient Block of Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.

Projects completed during the year included the Dr Sun Yat Sen Museum, Hammer Hill Road Park, Sheung Lok Street Rest Garden in Kowloon City, Phase 1 of the Renovation of Libraries programme and a football pitch in Area 107 of Tin Shui Wai. Work also started on building the Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground and four open space projects in Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung, Fanling and Tai Kok Tsui.

Works in progress include the Hin Tin Swimming Pool Phase 2 in Shatin, improvements to Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village, an indoor recreation centre at Area 17 Tin Shui Wai and a local open space in Tin Shui Wai.

As two of the five major tourism projects to enhance and sustain Hong Kong's attractiveness as a premier tourist destination, the Hong Kong Wetland Park and the improvement works for the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade were completed during the year. Improvements at the Stanley waterfront and the Peak will be completed in phases by end 2007. The Transport Link Project in Tsim Sha Tsui East is in progress for completion in 2007.

The provision of air-conditioning at Shek Wu Hui Cooked Food Centre and the improvements to the markets and cooked food centres in Ngau Tau Kok, Ngau Chi Wan and Aberdeen were completed during the year.

Work is continuing on the Aldrich Bay Market and Public Toilet, the provision of air-conditioning for San Hui Market, converting aqua privies into flushing toilets, and on the redevelopment of crematorium and on more columbarium facilities at Diamond Hill.

Projects completed during the year included the Kowloon Tong Fire Station-cum-Ambulance Depot and the Kowloon Fire Command Headquarters, the reprovisioning of Civil Aid Service and Fire Services Department facilities at the West Kowloon Reclamation, Marine Outer Waters District Headquarters and Marine Police North Division at Ma Liu Shui, the reprovisioning of Victoria Prison at the Lai Chi Kok Old Married Quarters site, and the fitting-out works for the customs, immigration and quarantine facilities at the SkyPlaza at Hong Kong International Airport.

Construction of the new Independent Commission Against Corruption Headquarters Building in North Point is in progress.

Projects completed during the year included the installation of an air-conditioning system at the Lo Wu cross-boundary footbridge and work related to the expansion of customs and immigration facilities at the Sha Tau Kok Control Point.

The construction of boundary crossing facilities at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor is in progress and is scheduled for tentative commissioning in 2007.

In September, the Government invited four pre-qualified tenderers to submit bids for the design-and-build contract of the Tamar Development Project. Commencement of the tender exercise marks a major milestone for the project.

The project calls for an aesthetically-pleasing design that blends naturally with the Central cityscape, that enhances the appeal and vibrancy of the harbourfront area, and that is in compatible with Hong Kong Island's ridgeline. The design should also convey Hong Kong's position as Asia's world city — dynamic, sophisticated and cosmopolitan, and should be functional, sustainable and environmentally friendly. The Government aims to complete the project around the end 2010.

The department continues to promote and implement the sustainable development concept within the building industry. It encourages a holistic approach to the building designs which it feels should include provisions for energy-saving devices and materials that are environmentally friendly and can be reused. Meticulous attention is given to the urban surroundings, users' needs and building longevity. A good example is the recently completed Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai. The project shows impressively how natural habitats with rich biodiversity can co-exist harmoniously with the surrounding environment in which people live. The project won the Medal of the Year bestowed by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects in their Annual Awards 2005 and the Grand Award of the Green Building Award 2006.

The department also has made other encouraging 'green' achievements during the year. The new Headquarters for the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department in Kowloon Bay won the Grand Award of the Green Building Award 2006 competition and the Certificate of Merit in the sustainable building category of the Quality Building Award 2006 competition. The Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre at Kowloon Park won the Certificate of Merit in the sustainable building category of the Quality Building Award 2006. The fire station at Penny's Bay won the Merit Award of the Green Building Award 2006.

During the year, with the use of energy efficient devices, an estimated annual saving of 130 million mega-joules of energy was achieved and about 120 square metres of photovoltaic panels, capable of producing 90 kilowatts of electricity, were installed.