The video produced by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) to commemorate the 60^th Anniversary of public housing development in Hong Kong has recently received accolades in the Galaxy Awards 2013.

Documenting the evolution of Hong Kong’s public housing in planning, building, flat layout designs, estate management, facilities and sustainable developments; the video has scooped a Gold Award under the “Corporate Identity” category and an Honours Award under the “Stakeholder Communications” category. The 15-minute video also captured the changes in public housing tenants’ livelihood over the past decades, which is a collective memory cherished by many people in Hong Kong.

The Galaxy Awards is an international competition which honours corporations for their excellence in product and service marketing. Over 800 entries from 18 countries and cities around the world were received this year. They were assessed by a panel of judges comprising professionals in the field, based on their creativity, effectiveness and performance. The HA’s awarded video can be viewed from the Hong Kong Housing Authority / Housing Department Website.

The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) has been investing resources in information technology (IT) to strengthen the quality of the IT systems. With the continuous efforts and diligence of its staff, its software development quality has significantly enhanced, resulting in a smooth, stable and undisturbed IT system services.

The HA once again obtained the accreditation of the Capability Maturity Model Integration Maturity Level 3 in software development (CMMI ML3 DEV) from the Software Engineering Institute of the Carnegie Mellon University commissioned by the US Department of Defense. So far the HA has been the first and the only local government body awarded with this honour. The accreditation has re-affirmed that the quality of our IT software development process is on par with that of some world-renowned institutions.

Last year the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) completed the construction of several public rental housing (PRH) estates. In this issue, Housing Dimensions invites you on a visit to some of them, including Lung Yat Estate, Mei Tin Estate (Phase 4) and Fung Wo Estate.

Lung Yat Estate

The two domestic blocks of Lung Yat Estate are located on Yip Wong Road in Tuen Mun. Each has 33 floors. The two blocks together provide close to 1 000 flats.

In line with the HA’s goal for green living, Lung Yat Estate incorporates a host of environmentally friendly features. For instance, solar-powered outdoor lighting transforms solar heat into electricity, which is stored in the lighting units for night-time use. Parts of the lighting system in communal areas have photo-sensors installed, with lights on or off depending on the level of light in the environment. Meanwhile, the roofs of covered walkways, the carpark, the garbage chamber and the community hall have all been planted with different species of plant, helping to beautify the environment and reduce heat.

Lung Yat Estate also provides an array of community and recreational facilities, including a community hall, a walking trail, a resting area and cycle parking spaces. Residents can also enjoy the nearby Wu Shan Riverside Park and bicycle trail.

Mei Tin Estate (Phase 4)

Located in Sha Tin, Mei Tin Estate had its first mass intake of residents in 2006. The estate has a total of eight blocks, including the new Phase 4 which completed its intake recently. Residents of Phase 4 are able to enjoy all the existing facilities of Mei Tin Estate.

The estate includes a multi-storey carpark and a shopping complex. Roofs are covered with a range of plant species to provide a green environment and reduce heat. The estate is also equipped with health and recreational facilities catering for different age groups, such as courts for basketball, badminton and table-tennis, as well as a fitness area for the elderly.

Fung Wo Estate

Also located at Sha Tin, Fung Wo Estate sits alongside Wo Che Estate. It has three domestic blocks with around 1 600 flats in total.

One of the special features in this estate is the exhibition area. A display wall entitled “Sha Tin in the Olden Days” in the exhibition area provides residents with interesting information about the history of Sha Tin and the development of its landscape. Other interesting facts relate to a tree that grows on the estate, Aquilaria Sinensis, also known as the Incense Tree. This evergreen tree is endemic to Hong Kong and is a rare example of a class of plants called dicotyledons. It has traditionally been used to make incense, and as an ingredient in Chinese herbal medicine. Illegal logging in recent years has made this kind of tree rare and vulnerable, and in need of protection. From the display walls, residents can obtain “Information about the Incense Tree”, and read about the “Miserable History of the Incense Tree”, to learn more about the characteristics of this special tree.

The estate is equipped with car parking facilities, cycle parking spaces and various kinds of recreational facilities, including a children’s playground, a fitness area for the elderly, and a foot massage path. The pedestrian bridge inside the estate connects with nearby shopping malls and the MTR Sha Tin Station, offering residents a convenient link for shopping and transport.