HONG KONG 2005

Superstructure works on 158 building sites started during the year, involving a total gross floor area of 1.51 million square metres. A total of 785 buildings, with a total gross floor area of 2.22 million square metres, were completed at a total cost of $25.9 billion compared with 635 buildings, with a total gross floor area of 2.84 million square metres, built at a total cost of $34.5 billion in 2004.

Major construction works in progress at year-end included Skyplaza and Asia Airfreight Terminal 2 at Chek Lap Kok, Science Park Phase 2, the Tung Chung Cable Car project and the International Commerce Centre at MTR Kowloon Station.

Over the year, 26 965 reported cases of unauthorised building works (UBWs) were dealt with, 25 007 removal orders were issued and 40 365 UBWs were removed. Prosecutions of offenders for erecting UBWs or failing to comply with removal orders increased to 2 972, 1.74 times that of the previous year. These resulted in 1 877 convictions with fines totalling $8.04 million.

To tackle the problem of existing UBWs, the Buildings Department continued its 'blitz' clearance operations, demolishing in one fell swoop all external UBWs on a number of buildings in the same district. One thousand buildings were targeted for 'blitz' clearance in 2005. The programme to remove all illegal rooftop structures on 4 500 single staircase buildings continued to gather momentum. Illegal rooftop structures on 705 buildings were removed in 2005, compared with 402, 632, 713 and 714 in 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 respectively.

To raise community awareness of UBWs as a liability, the department issued 2 184 statutory warning notices registrable against property title in respect of those UBWs not subject to immediate removal action. In a bid to stop new UBWs, special outsourced patrol teams have been commissioned by the Buildings Department to inspect UBWs under construction within 48 hours in response to community reports. During the year, the department handled 3 520 reported cases.

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 prescribed commercial premises — banks, betting centers, jewellery shops, shopping arcades and supermarkets — and specified commercial buildings built before 1987. Some 190 prescribed premises were issued with 219 Fire Safety Directions and 3 339 Fire Safety Improvement Directions were issued to 148 specified buildings, requiring the owners to upgrade fire safety standards and facilities.

Since November 2002, a total of 550 buildings have been selected for action under the Coordinated Maintenance of Buildings Scheme. Owners of 436 buildings have been motivated to take up their maintenance responsibilities. As a result, repair or other improvement works were completed in 307 buildings. The modus operandi of the operation was modified in 2005 by enlisting the assistance of the Hong Kong Housing Society to provide better management and technical support to owners. A total of 150 buildings were selected for action under the modified scheme in 2005. With the support provided by HKHS, owners of 33 buildings were motivated to take up their maintenance responsibilities.

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) Bill 2003 was enacted in July 2004 to strengthen safety requirements, facilitate law enforcement, and improve service to the public. Among the new provisions, those involving warning notices against UBWs, mandatory provision of emergency vehicular access in new buildings, statutory registration of geotechnical engineers and the increase in fines for serious offences under the Buildings Ordinance came into operation in December 2004. The remaining provision requiring the appointment of registered geotechnical engineers for the geotechnical elements of building works or street works became effective in December 2005. In addition, by the end of the year, the Buildings Department was at the final stage of a consultation with the industry on formulating a simplified control regime for carrying out minor building works that do not require planning approval. Legislative amendments to implement this minor works control regime will be introduced into the Legislative Council in due course.

The Buildings Department also issued more revised codes of practice during the year. The Code of Practice for the Structural Use of Steel provides updated technical guidance for building design standards, while the revised Technical Memorandum for Supervision Plans and the revised Code of Practice for Site Supervision integrate under a single supervision system the different Buildings Ordinance requirements on site safety and supervision for the quality of building works.

The Architectural Services Department acts as the building authority for and steward of government buildings. It is also the Government's corporate professional adviser on architectural policies, building planning and maintenance matters and its architect, providing full professional, technical and financial management services for the development and maintenance of public buildings (other than public housing) in three main areas:

In 2005, $11.1 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 in the following categories:

The construction of 14 schools was completed in 2005 and work continued on 11 others which are due for completion in 2006 and 2007. The design of new schools is site and user-specific and individual school operators are consulted early in the project development. Two schools completed in 2005 operate successfully as 'primary-cum-secondary' through-train schools and a similar school is to be completed in 2006. This concept enables the sharing of teaching and sports facilities in a campus under the management of a single school sponsor.

In addition, the Education and Manpower Bureau's Kowloon Tong Education Service Centre was completed during the year. The department has also carried out improvements to 660 schools in recent years under the School Improvement Programme, including 107 schools in 2005. Improvements to 32 schools are in progress.

Mong Kok and Kwai Chung Ambulance Depots and Fire Services Department Regional Command Headquarters, New Territories South Regional Police Headquarters and Operational Base in Tsuen Wan and Immigration Services Training School and Perowne Immigration Centre in Tuen Mun were completed during the year.

Construction works in progress include Kowloon Tong Fire Station-cum-Ambulance Depot and Kowloon Fire Command Headquarters, the reprovisioning of Civil Aid Service and Fire Services Department facilities at the West Kowloon Reclamation, Marine Police 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, fitting out for the customs, immigration and quarantine facilities at the Sky Plaza at Hong Kong International Airport, and the new Independent Commission Against Corruption Headquarters Building in North Point.

During the year, work was completed on the Castle Peak Hospital Redevelopment Phase 2, and a radiotherapy centre and the redevelopment of the Accident and Emergency Department at Princess Margaret Hospital. The remodelling of Tang Shiu Kin Hospital into an ambulatory care centre, the remodelling of the Tuen Mun Polyclinic Building into an ophthalmic centre, the Public Mortuary in Kwai Chung, and the elderly health centre in Kwai Shing East Housing Estate were also completed in 2005.

Construction works in progress include the redevelopment of 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 the Residential Training Complex for Juveniles in Tuen Mun.

Projects completed during the year include Stanley Complex, Tai Kok Tsui Complex Phase 2, Tung Wan Beach Building in Cheung Chau, Gymnastic Training Centre at Shun Lee Tsuen Sports Centre, Cherry Street Park and five district and local open spaces in various districts.

Construction work started on Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum, Hin Tin Swimming Pool Phase 2 in Sha Tin, the renovation of Libraries Phase 1 Works and the Centre for Youth Development in Chai Wan and a local open space in Tin Shui Wai.

Construction works are in progress on the Hammer Hill Road Park and an indoor recreation centre in Tin Shui Wai.

Work started on five major tourism projects to enhance and sustain Hong Kong's attractiveness as a premier tourist destination. The Hong Kong Wetland Park and improvement works for the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade are targeted for completion in 2006. Improvement works at the Stanley waterfront and the Peak will be completed in phases by end 2007. The Transport Link Project in Tsim Sha Tsui East also started with a view to completion in 2007.

The installation of air-conditioning at Yue Wan Market and Cooked Food Centre and Bowrington Road Cooked Food Centre was completed during the year.

Work is in progress on the installation of air-conditioning at Shek Wu Hui Cooked Food Centre and San Hui Market, the improvement works to the market and cooked food centres in Ngau Tau Kok, Ngau Chi Wan and Aberdeen, the conversion works for aqua privies into flushing toilets in Phases 1 and 2A and the redevelopment of Diamond Hill Crematorium.

Improvement works to the terminal building and a cross-boundary footbridge in Lo Wu were completed during the year. Installation of an air-conditioning system at the Lo Wu cross-boundary footbridge and expansion works of customs and immigration facilities at the Sha Tau Kok Control Point are under way.

Design and construction of the boundary crossing facilities at Hong Kong-Shenzhen Western Corridor are in progress under the management of the department in cooperation with the Shenzhen Hong Kong Western Corridor Project Office.

Promoting sustainable development in the building industry is one of the key aims of the department. To achieve this, innovation in architectural design is encouraged, environmentally friendly construction materials are widely adopted, and meticulous consideration is given to the surroundings, users' needs, durability and energy efficiency of buildings.

The department continues to lead and set an example in minimising energy consumption and promoting the use of renewable energy. Through the use of energy-efficient devices, an estimated annual saving of 420 million mega joules of energy was achieved and about 750 square metres of photovoltaic panels with a total electrical capacity of 55 kilowatts were installed in 2005. The geothermal heat pump used in the air-conditioning system at the visitor centre in Hong Kong Wetland Park is a prime example of the efficient use of energy since it disperses heat from the system into a vast area of wetland rather than the air. It also quieter than a conventional air-conditioning plant which suits the park environment.

The department's efforts to promote sustainability were recognised by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects. A number of building projects were winners in the institute's Annual Awards 2004 because they took thorough account of sustainability. They include Electrical and Mechanical Services Department's Headquarters Building, Margaret Trench Red Cross School and an open space in Fanling. A research project on universal accessibility was also awarded the institute's 2004 Special Award.