This Report Sustainable Housing : New Horizons is our first Sustainability Report, which describes the environmental, social and economic performance of the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) for the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006. For the first time, we are reporting on our environmental, social and economic performance together in one report.
Our first Sustainability Report has been developed with reference to the Environmental Protection Department's 'A Benchmark for Environmental Performance Reports', and the globally recognized reporting guidelines, the Global Reporting Initiative.
The HA is the public housing provider in Hong Kong and we aim to provide safe, affordable and sustainable housing in Hong Kong. In order to achieve our vision for sustainable housing, we have been continuing to strive for achieving better designs which integrate environmentally friendly, user friendly, functional and cost effective considerations. We have put this vision into action through our Strategy for Sustainable Construction, adopted the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's view on sustainable development and have taken this into consideration in identifying our sustainability priorities.
We set 41 environmental targets for the year 2005/06 ranging from waste management, awareness & participation, energy efficiency, landscaping and greening, water, air, noise and hazardous materials.
Our environmental performance for 2005/06 is outlined below:
- Implemented the "Green Delight in Estates" programme in collaboration with local green groups which increased the awareness of tenants on environmental protection and waste recovery. This demonstrated a successful engagement with our tenants for a sustainable awareness-raising programme.
Increased estate landscaping and greening which has greatly improved amenity comfort and the aesthetic quality of our estates:
- Landscape improvement with upgrading of 110,450 m2 greenery in 18 selected estates was completed.
- Greening improvement of 5,800 m2 through Estate Management Advisory Committee was carried out in 12 estates.
- About 4,100 trees, 527,400 shrubs and 92,000 annuals were planted in 2005/06.
- All of the newly formed slopes in 2005/06 were green treated by measures including hydro-seeding, planting of creepers and trees.
- Rhododendron Gardens were set up at Lei Muk Shue Estate and Nam Shan Estate.
Installation of water reduction appliances/facilities led to a decrease in water consumption:
- Use of self-stopping water tap and reduction of pipe bursting and leakage through replumbing led to a decrease in water consumption against 2004/05.
- Mandatory installation of waste water recycling facilities in all new construction contracts.
Implementation of air quality measures led to avoidance of emissions and better air quality in offices, sites and estates:
- Continued to incorporate measures to effectively control air quality aspects (dust and exhaust emissions) of our operations including our construction sites, estates and offices.
- Enforce our smoke-free policy in our headquarters and other office premises.
- Installed 44 packaged deodorizers in refuse collection points to help control odours and prevent nuisance to our residents and management staff.
- Avoidance of using building materials that include ozone depleting chemicals. None of our central air conditioning units or chillers uses ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) and halogen gas fire extinguishers.
Installation and utilization of better construction and operational practices which led to less noise nuisance:
- Replacement of 14 pumps with smaller and quieter ones.
- Use of hydraulic concrete crushers in demolition works to reduce noise generation.
- In 2005/06, we received eight noise complaints (10 complaints in 2004/05 and 24 in 2003/04). However, we have received no noise abatement notices from the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), a decrease from the previous years.
Utilization of energy saving measures and appliances decreased energy consumption significantly:
- Through regular circulation of energy saving tips, implementation of energy saving measures and provision of relevant staff training courses, energy consumption in offices and public areas fell against the previous years’ consumption.
- Adoption of energy codes and obtained 12 energy certificates for completed projects.
Continued waste management measures through waste recovery and decreased materials consumption:
- Saved 12,730 tonnes of cement use due to the usage of pulverized fuel ash.
- Avoided the use of 18,470 tonnes of timber due to utilization of reusable metal hoardings, metal framework and prefabricated building elements.
- Implementation of waste separation at source for 30 estates.
- Domestic waste in our estates were reduced by 5.1% against 2004/05, above the 1% reduction rate target.
- Recovery of over 120 tonnes aluminium cans, 190 tonnes plastic bottles, 520 tonnes used clothes and 10,140 tonnes waste paper collection.
- Reduced A3 and A4 paper consumption by 3.6% compared to the consumption of 2004/05 and by 8.6% against baseline year of 2002/03.
- Implemented the use of environmentally friendly paper as a pre-requisite in future printing jobs.
- Launched the spent mercury-containing lamps and bulbs and rechargeable batteries recycling scheme.
- Obtained a Gold Wastewi$e Logo for the fifth consecutive year from the EPD.
- Implemented the use of sustainable timber doors with timber from accredited sustainable sources in a pilot project.
- Safely removed 82 m3 of asbestos-containing materials.
- Development of a Construction Waste Index to assess waste generation in our construction sites.
- Recorded only one non-compliance (four convictions in 2004/05 and eight in 2003/04) of our contractor for water pollution to a communal drain. This has since been rectified by the contractor.
- No fatal incident in 2005/06.
- Improved safety performance in all HA contracts, new works and maintenance works.
- Implemented building safety measures including the Total Maintenance Scheme (TMS) and other improvements in existing estates (ie handrails, ramps).
- Continued to implement the HA Safety Audit Scheme (HASAS), to assess site safety and performance of our contractors.
- Implemented the Marking Scheme for Tenancy Enforcement which enforced mostly health and hygiene measures for tenant protection. In 2005, three Public Rental Housing (PRH) tenants who had committed the identified hygiene and health misdeeds were directed to move out after receiving notice-to-quits under the scheme.
- Implemented preventive measures for avian flu including levying penalties and demerit points for feeding wild birds in prh estates.
- Installation of air conditioner drains which would decrease environmental and health nuisance.
- Developed a common w-trap system for drainage works, following the SARS crisis, to prevent spreading of disease through dried up floor drains for new estates under design.
- Redeployment of employees due to divestment of our retail and car parking facilities to the Estate Management Division.
- Implement succession plan development for staff who will receive intensive and fast track management and developmental training.
- Received the internationally acclaimed Excellence in Practice Award in the Learning Technologies Category of the American Society of Training and Development for our e-learning portal.
- Conducted various initiatives for Housing Authority staff, for example, activities organized by the Housing Authority Staff Club, active communication with staff, and obtain feedback to enhance operational effectiveness.
- Relaxation of the Rent Assistance Scheme (RAS) for tenants with financial hardship.
- Enhancement of transfer opportunities for tenants through the Living Space Improvement Transfer Scheme where tenants living below 7 m2 internal floor area per person can apply for transfer to a larger flat.
- Implementation of three Territory-wide Overcrowding Relief (TWOR) exercises which resulted in the successful re-housing of 1,072 overcrowded families.
- Established an annual quota for non-elderly single persons applying for PRH and established a point system to accord priority to applicants of higher age.
- Maintained average waiting time (AWT) for general PRH applications and for elderly single applicants, well within the pledge of three years and two years respectively.
- Implemented quality of life measures including Laundry Rack Subsidy Scheme, improvement works for the visually impaired and modifications for tetraplegics.
- Implementation of policies on prevention of housing resource abuse including audits, house visits and investigations.
- Reviewed the contractual requirements to enhance workers' security, in particular to avoid significant wage arrears from the contractors.
- As of March 2006, 68 projects were under initial development and 35 projects (around 60,000 units) were under construction.
- Brought into service an additional 17,200 PRH units in 2005/06 to meet the demand.
- Divestment of 180 retail and car park facilities as The Link REIT which has improved HA's financial position.
- Cash balance as at end of 2005/06 was at $50.6 billion, representing a substantial increase from last year.
- Launched the last phase sale of the Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS), which involved selling of the 23,290 flats in five estates.
- Introduced the Revenue Management Module of the first phase of our Estate Management and Maintenance System (EMMS) to streamline operations for customer payment convenience.
- Upgraded our assets via the Total Maintenance Scheme and comprehensive structured investigations of older estates with a view to extending their life.
- Continuously improved our procurement policy, including implementation of measures to encourage contractors to give high quality service.
- Maintained the Independent Checking Unit (ICU) to conduct third party building control for all of our new projects and existing estates.
We believe that our vision for sustainability benefits all of our stakeholders. We know that clear and ongoing communication plays an essential role in our activities, ensuring that our stakeholders are fully informed of what we do, while also giving them an understanding of, and ability to respond to, our initiatives help ensure their success.
- Utilized the Housing Channel to communicate housing related messages to PRH tenants.
- Produced over 50 videos on an array of housing-related topics and developments.
- Distributed Estate Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) newsletters directly to each household.
- Published our online newsletter, Housing Dimensions with information for our staff and for public viewing.
- Positioning of suggestion boxes in strategic and convenient locations.
- Prominently featuring intranet and website feedback collection functionalities.
- Conducted regular surveys to gauge tenants' views, which can also be brought forward through the EMAC.
- Operated the Housing Department Integrated Communication Centre (HDICC) and the HD Enquiry Hotline. In 2005/06, we received over 790,000 calls.
to Encourage Community Participation
To continue achieving our vision for sustainable housing, we have identified and committed to various targets in 2006/07. Key targets are summarized as follows.
| Targets | |
Promote green management initiatives in PRH estates by organizing Green Property Management Award with green groups. |
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Enhance community awareness on environmental protection by launching campaigns to promote waste reduction and recycling in PRH estates and joint programmes with green groups and EMACs, including distributing environmental publicity materials to tenants. |
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Enhance staff environmental awareness and knowledge by soliciting and analyzing training needs, organizing seminars, displaying of environmental issues at Housing Authority Headquarters' Green Corner and providing environmental messages on the e-Learning Portal. |
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Enhance environmental protection awareness and knowledge of staff and the public by developing and launching an environmental mini-web onto the HA website. |
| Targets | |
Reduce flushing water consumption by conducting trial schemes in new projects, and conducting performance reviews. |
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Reduce potable water consumption for installations under landlord in PRH estates by using self-stopping water taps and conducting a replumbing programme to minimize pipe bursting and leakage as well as studying the feasibility of using rain water for plant watering and general cleaning. |
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Enhance efficient potable water usage in shopping centres by installing self-stopping or movement-sensing water taps during toilets upgrading. |
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Record and monitor water consumption at HAHQs in meeting the target of water consumption to less than that of 2003/04. This includes performing initiatives to reduce water consumption as appropriate. |
| Targets | |
Provide green treatment (eg hydro-seeding and tree planting) to newly formed slopes. |
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Add new vegetation and promote greening in new housing estates to meet the minimum target of one tree per 15 PRH flats. Conduct tree surveys to ensure that this is met. |
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Upgrade the existing landscape in 18 selected PRH estates by improving soft landscaping through Landscape Improvement Programme. |
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Promote green environment at 24 estates with EMAC through provision of green activities in these estates. |
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| Enhance greening in PRH estates by allocating open areas in selected estates for setting up theme gardens. |
| Target | |
Further abate the remaining asbestos-containing materials in existing HA managed properties by implementing asbestos abatement programme through estate redevelopment programme and asbestos removal works. |
| Target | |
Reduce noise nuisance from water pumps in PRH estates by replacing 3,000 rpm water pumps with 1,500 rpm water pumps. |
| Targets | |
Increase domestic waste recovery rate for paper, aluminium cans, plastic bottles and used clothes by arranging publicity activities such as Waste Recycling Credit Scheme for all PRH estates. |
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Promote waste reduction through various publicity campaigns aiming to reduce domestic waste generation. |
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Implement waste separation at source programme in all estates by phases. |
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Reduce A3 and A4 paper consumption, collect waste paper and perform various initiatives to encourage paper recycling in HD offices. |
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| Reduce construction and demolition (C&D) waste and ensure proper disposal by developing a Construction Waste Index and guidelines for selective demolition. |
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Use environmentally-friendly paper in printing of all publicity materials (except sales and marketing publication) by implementing its use as a pre-requisite in all printing jobs. |
| Targets | |
Reduce electricity consumption of landlord services installed in new domestic blocks by adopting Energy Codes and obtaining energy certificates for completed projects. |
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Explore and study application of more energy efficient equipment by completing trial installation of solar powered lamp poles, adjustment of lift counterweight settings and adopting a wider use of T5 fluorescent tubes. |
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Reduce energy consumption for office premises by performing various initiatives to reduce energy consumption. |
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Explore and study application of green design initiatives for building services equipment. |
| Targets | |
Continue to tighten monitoring of contractors with high accident rates. |
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Extend the 'Pay for Safety, Environment and Hygiene' Scheme to building services nominated sub-contracts. |
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Continue to hold regular seminars on audit findings and best safety practices with contractors, and partner with industry stakeholders in participating in safety campaigns. |
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Improve safety of office operations with potential health and safety risks. |
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Continue to provide safety training to staff. |
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Consider expanding the Silver Card training and requirements to maintenance and improvement work contracts. |
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Issuance of consolidated safety manual and design checklist. |
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| Keep accident rate to be below 25 accidents per 1,000 workers. |
| Targets | |
Continue implementation of the Marking Scheme in all PRH estates and factories to enhance the living and factory environment respectively. |
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Conduct various initiatives for HA staff, for example, activities organized by the HA Staff Club, active communication with staff, and obtain feedback to enhance operational effectiveness. |
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Continue to actively work with relevant stakeholders to promote better understanding of HA policies and initiatives through different publicity channels. |
| Targets | |
Complete the review of the Domestic Rent Policy and consult the public of the initial findings. |
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Continue to minimize the vacancy of PRH estates. |
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Conduct tenancy control and education campaigns to reduce abuse of housing resources. |
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Continue on assessment of older estates and enhance their protection, restoration and upgrades. |