Go Green in Lam Tin Estate
Committed to sustainable development, we have been vigorously incorporating green concepts into the design and construction of our new Public Rental Housing (PRH) estates, while at the same time encouraging residents to lead a green life. Attesting to its effort in this direction is Lam Tin Estate, i.e. Phases 7 and 8 of the Lam Tin Redevelopment Programme.
Lam Tin Estate, comprising of four 40-storey non-standard domestic blocks, has benefited from micro-climate studies in the planning and design stages of the estate. Optimizing the use of the natural environment, ventilation corridors are put between domestic blocks and at the podium garden level to facilitate better air ventilation in the estate and the neighbourhood. There is also a light atrium in each block to introduce natural lighting into the ground floor lift lobby. To draw in natural wind and make the lobby cooler in the summer, a large window has been installed on the first floor.
The estate also adopted a wide range of green building services, including a pilot photovoltaic (PV) panel installation for generating renewable energy. A total of 248 m2 of mono-crystalline silicon PV modules have been installed on the roofs of three domestic blocks and on top of the covered walkway. The system can provide part of the electricity required by building services such as corridor lighting, lifts and water pumps, thus reducing the consumption of electricity supplied by the power company. From our experience, it is estimated the system would generate 43 800 kWh electricity a year, which is approximately equivalent to the total electricity consumption of 11 normal households in a year.
Placed next to the PV modules on the roof are various measuring instruments, in which data collected from the instruments will be analysed to facilitate fine-tuning of the system and enhance its efficiency. LCD monitors will be installed at the public access of the estate that provide residents with useful weather information such as temperature, wind speed and UV index. The monitors will also display some key data of the PV system, such as the instantaneous and accumulative amount of power generated, as well as the corresponding reduction in electricity charges and the equivalent carbon emission. We hope this can give the residents a better idea about renewable energy.
Energy efficient light fittings are a major feature of the estate's indoor lighting system. With the installation of photo-sensors, lights will be automatically switched off when there is adequate natural light. To further save energy, timers controlling the daily on-off of the light are adjustable to suit the varying daylight duration in summer and winter.
For better treatment of domestic refuse and hygiene control, a central refuse compactor system has been installed at the refuse collection point of the estate. The compactor compresses the refuse to one-third of the original volume and stores it in closed containers for disposal by refuse collection vehicles. The process is simple and efficient, and helps minimise odour nuisance.
To provide a healthier living environment for our residents, Lam Tin Estate has also implemented "common W-trap" waste water system to redress the problem of dried-up floor drains, which was identified as a pathway in the spreading of disease.
Besides adopting environmental-friendly hardware, we also encourage residents to participate in community activities and pursue green living. At the construction stage of the Lam Tin Estate, residents, schools and organisations in the vicinity were invited to take part in the Action Seedling campaign jointly organised by the HA contractors, local groups and us. Seedlings were given to participants to nurture at home and in school. They are to be transplanted into the flowerbeds of the estate upon completion of the construction. Another interesting green initiative in Lam Tin Estate is the provision of a community farm. Residents can plant fruit and vegetables there and gain the unique experience as city farmers.
Green Delight in Estates
Stepping in the third phase, we continue our Green Delight in Estates (GDE) programme in partnership with Green Power, the Conservancy Association and Friends of the Earth(HK) FoE (HK). The programme aims to develop PRH estates into green communities, to further boost up environmental awareness of estate residents and to encourage their environmental-friendly behaviour.
Sustaining the achievement of the Phase 2 programme, GDE Phase 3 programme was kicked off at the end of March 2008 under the theme "Action Blue Sky". Each of the three green groups designed in-depth education and community activities for a total of 30 selected housing estates to generate greater environmental awareness and promote energy conservation. Major activities included 930 Energy Saving Day, Green Living Carnival, Living Green Competition, Energy Saving Competition, Used Good Exchange Square, Green Living Booklet dissemination, Green Corner, recruitment and training of Green Living Ambassadors, promotion of Source Separation of Domestic Waste, etc.
To ensure the continuous environmental commitment of residents, about 6 000 residents have been recruited and trained as Green Estate Ambassadors to spread green messages in their estates.
Since the launch of the GDE programme in 2005, a tracking survey conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong indicated that residents' attitudes and awareness had been improved. In the survey in 2008, around 70% of the tenants had the habit of separating recyclables in the waste before disposal; while over 70% had the habit of bringing their own bags for shopping, representing a 15% increase since the launch of the GDE programme.
More encouraging findings were that the residents in the 30 selected estates with the in-depth education programmes had in general a better performance and awareness on environmental protection, especially on habit of separating recyclable waste before disposal, habit of using estates' waste separation bins, habit of reducing water consumption, awareness and support of "Housing Estate Waste Recycling Bag", self-rating of changing consciousness of recycling and self-rating of better knowledge of environmental protection compared with last year.
With the well-received feedbacks, the fourth consecutive Green Delight in Estates has begun in 2009. Same as previous years, we have joined hands with Green Power, Conservancy Association and FoE(HK) in organising Green Delight in Estates. The theme of 2009 programme is "Reduction Use of Plastic Bags", which encourages residents to reduce the use of plastic bags in their daily life. The three green groups will also launch in-depth educational activities in the 31 selected estates to further promote the green messages.