We will continue to incorporate appropriate sustainability principles into all of our activities and practices. We want 2007/08 to be another year in which the Housing Authority (HA) improves its sustainability performance.
Our commitment to sustainability does not end on when our targets are met. We are constantly challenging ourselves to ensure that our performance gets better each and every year. Therefore, we undertake the following:
- To be guided by our vision of sustainable housing and ensure that our sustainability initiatives align to this vision;
- Continue to implement and develop innovative and cost-efficient ways to protect and enhance the environment, particularly through the effective use of resources;
- Implement and adopt cost-effective procurement measures that benefit not only ourselves, but our business partners and contractors as well; and
- Enhance communications with our stakeholders to ensure a quick response to their queries, and engage them on issues that matter to them.
Targets to continue promotion of sustainability issues |
Review and monitor environmental awareness in Public Rental Housing (PRH) by reviewing the need for surveys and providing the results to the related sections for necessary improvements. |
Review and monitor environmental awareness of HA staff by reviewing the need for in-house telephone surveys and enhancing general awareness by undertaking training and improving communication strategies. |
Collaborate with green groups to conduct environmental awareness programme in PRH. |
Promote environmental and safety awareness and practices in the HA's workplace and PRH estates. |
Increase tenants' awareness and support of greening by organising tree planting days in selected estates. |
Promote green management initiatives in PRH estates by organizing Green Property Management Award with green groups. |
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 Estate Management Advisory Committees (EMACs), including distributing environmental publicity materials to tenants. |
Enhance staff environmental awareness and knowledge by soliciting and analyzing training needs, organizing seminars, displaying of environmental issues at HA Head Quarters' (HAHQs') Green Corner and providing environmental messages on the e-Learning Portal. |
Promote environmental awareness in Home Ownership Scheme (HOS) estates by liaising with Property Management Agents (PMAs) to organize activities for residents in HOS courts and by referring environmental messages from the Environmental Protection Department to PMAs. |
Targets to reduce water consumption |
Reduce flushing water consumption by conducting trial schemes in new projects, ie pilot project Shek Lei Phase 10 and conducting performance reviews. |
Reduce potable water consumption for installations under landlord control in PRH estates by using self-stopping water taps and conducting replumbing programmes to minimize pipe bursting and leakage as well as studying the feasibility of using rain water for plant watering and general cleaning. |
Enhance efficient potable water usage in shopping centres by installing self-stopping or movement-sensing water taps during toilets upgrading. |
Continue to reduce water consumption at HAHQs by performing water saving initiatives as appropriate. |
Targets to enhance greening and landscaping |
Provide green treatment (eg hydro-seeding and tree planting) to newly formed slopes. |
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. |
Upgrade the existing landscape in 18 selected PRH estates by improving soft landscaping through Landscape Improvement Programme. |
Promote a green environment at 24 estates with EMAC support through the provision of green activities in these estates. |
Improve the slope appearance in existing PRH estates by providing green treatment to hard surfaced slopes and improving on existing vegetated slopes. Also, chunam surfaces will be improved through hydro-seeding stone pitching and toe planters. |
Enhance greening in PRH estates by allocating open areas in selected estates for setting up theme gardens. |
Targets to lessen safety and environmental risks |
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. |
Targets to reduce noise nuisances |
Reduce noise nuisance from water pumps in PRH estates by replacing 3 000 rpm water pumps with 1 500 rpm water pumps. |
Targets to maintain our waste management practices |
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. |
Promote waste reduction through various publicity campaigns with the aim to reduce generation of domestic waste. |
Implement waste separation at source programme in all estates by phases. |
Reduce A3 and A4 paper consumption in Housing Department (HD) offices by performing various initiatives to reduce paper consumption. |
Collect waste paper in HD offices and implement various initiatives to encourage paper recycling. |
Reduce construction and demolition (C&D) waste and ensure proper disposal by developing a Construction Waste Index through conducting surveys of C&D waste. |
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 to continue improvements on energy efficiency |
Reduce electricity consumption of landlord services installation in new domestic blocks by adopting Energy Codes and obtaining energy certificates for completed projects. |
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. |
Reduce energy consumption in shopping centres with central air conditioned systems by shortening operating hours of the air conditioners and lighting and undertaking initiatives to enhance staff awareness of energy savings. |
Reduce energy consumption of office premises by performing various energy saving initiatives. |
Explore and study application of green design for building services equipment. |
Targets to improve our safety performance |
Continue to tighten monitoring of contractors with high accident rates. |
Enhance the 'Pay for Safety, Environment and Hygiene' scheme with more performance driven initiatives for site safety. |
Tighten control measures for high-risk operations on site. |
Continue to hold regular seminars on best safety practices with the participation of contractors and project teams. |
Continue to partner with industry stakeholders in territory-wide safety campaigns and publicity. |
Improve safety of office operations with potential health and safety risks. |
Continue to provide safety training to staff. |
Issuance of site safety handbook and guidelines. |
Keep accident rate to be below 25 accidents per 1 000 workers. |
Targets to uphold our social contribution |
Continue implementation of the Marking Scheme in all PRH estates and factories to enhance the living and factory environment respectively. |
Conduct various initiatives for HA staff, for example activities organized by the Housing Authority Staff Club, active communications with staff and obtain feedback to enhance operational effectiveness. |
Continue to actively work with relevant stakeholders to promote better understanding of Housing Authority policies and initiatives through different publicity channels. |
Targets to fine tune our economic performance |
Implementing the new rent adjustment mechanism and following up the outcome of the Review of Domestic Rent Policy |
Continue to minimize the vacancy of PRH estates. |
Conduct tenancy control and education campaigns with an aim to reduce abuse of housing resources. |
Continue on assessment of older estates and enhance their preventive maintenance, restoration and improvements. |