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Environmental Report 2020/21

Targets and Outlook

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Environmental Awareness and Participation

Energy Efficiency

Greening and Landscaping

Hazardous Material Management

Waste Management and 4Rs

Water Conservation

In 2020/21, the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) set 40 environmental targets, 37 of them were fully met, while the remaining 3 were close to the targets. Details of our targets achieved in 2020/21 and the targets set for 2021/22 are shown as follows:

Environmental Awareness and Participation

Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
1 Review and monitor environmental awareness in public rental housing (PRH) by conducting surveys biennially. Fully met To be maintained
2 Monitor environmental awareness of the HA staff and enhance general awareness by reviewing and implementing training and publicity strategies. Fully met To be maintained
3 Collaborate with green groups to conduct environmental awareness programmes in PRH. Fully met To be maintained
4 Enhance the environmental performance of contractors on site through environmental management plan and use of environmentally sound construction method. Fully met To be maintained
5 Promote PRH tenants’ awareness and participation related to waste separation at source, waste reduction and green management initiatives through various publicity channels such as estate newsletters and activities, broadcasting of rolling text or video in Housing Channel and other joint activities with green groups. Fully met To be maintained
6 Promote environmental message to HA staff by displaying environmental issues at HAHQ Green Corner. Fully met To be maintained
7 Enhance staff environmental awareness and knowledge by organising seminars related to Waste Management Plan, legislation updates, general seminars on environmental issues and campaigns to promote environmental protection. Fully met To be maintained
8 Enhance community awareness of environmental protection by organising programmes to promote environmental protection messages. Fully met To be maintained

Energy Efficiency

Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
9 Reduce the electricity consumption of building services installations in communal areas of new domestic blocks. Fully met To be maintained
10 Adopt green design for building services equipment by conducting carbon emission estimation for projects with domestic blocks and energy estimation of domestic blocks for projects at detailed design stage. Fully met To be maintained
11 Explore, study and adopt the application of more energy efficient equipment, including
  • mass application of LED bulkhead lightings at the communal areas of all newly designed domestic blocks;
  • implementation of environmental lighting controls using motion-sensors and push buttons at the communal areas of all domestic blocks; and
  • implementation of gearless lift and regenerative power for lift with a capacity of 8kW or above in all new projects under design.
Fully met To be maintained
12 Conduct Carbon Audit in the 14 PRH blocks representing the majority of PRH block types for monitoring and benchmarking purpose, and investigate measures for energy reduction when the building carbon emission is found exceeding the baseline figure. Fully met To be maintained
13 Perform various initiatives to reduce 5.5% electricity consumption compared to 2013/14 for HA office premises under comparable operating conditions. Fully met 0.5% lower than the consumption of 2018/19

Greening and Landscaping

Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
14 Provide green treatment to newly formed slopes such as hydroseeding, planting or other appropriate green treatments to soil, rock and other slope surfaces. Fully met To be maintained
15 Add new vegetation and promote greening in new public housing by
  • planting trees in all new public housing targeting at minimum one tree per 15 flats and conduct annual tree survey to ensure all new public housing meet the target; and
  • achieving an overall target of 30% green coverage and at least 20% for public housing developments at planning, design and implementation stage.
Fully met To be maintained
16 Improve the slope appearance in existing PRH estates by providing green treatment to hard surfaced slopes and improving the existing vegetated slopes; and improve Chunam surfaces through hydroseeding, stone pitching and toe planters. Fully met To be maintained
17 Promote local residents and the community to participate in early plant raising for new housing estates. Fully met To be maintained
18 Promote community involvement in greening of the new PRH estates by introducing communal planting areas/community farms in master landscape layout plan at design stage and encourage PRH residents to participate in gardening and planting works within their own estates for recreation and education purposes. Fully met To be maintained
19 Re-landscape and upgrade the existing landscape facilities in the selected PRH estates by planting more trees and flowers through Landscape Improvement Programme. Fully met To be maintained
20 Promote community participation and increase tenants’ awareness in greening of PRH estates, through organising greening activities in the estates, such as community garden programme, community greening participation programme and tree planting days. Fully met To be maintained
21 Promote staff/ tenant’s involvement in greening activities. Fully met To be maintained
Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
20 Promote community participation and increase tenants’ awareness in greening of PRH estates, through organising greening activities in the estates, such as community garden programme, community greening participation programme and tree planting days. Fully met To be maintained
21 Promote staff/ tenant’s involvement in greening activities. Fully met To be maintained

Hazardous Material Management

Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
22 Abate the existing asbestos containing materials in the HA construction sites by implementing proper asbestos removal works in demolition. Fully met To be maintained
23 Implement asbestos abatement programme in PRH estates by
  • promulgating and enhancing publicity of locations and proper handling of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM);
  • enhancing regular monitoring system on ACM;
  • formulating the asbestos abatement programme;
  • arranging regular training seminars or briefings; and
  • reminding project team to take proper mitigation measures.
Partially met1 To be maintained
24 Control hazardous materials to minimise harm to environment by collecting all disposed mercury-containing lamps in HAHQ for special waste treatment. Fully met To be maintained
1

The in-flat inspection under “regular monitoring system on ACM” had once been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As at 31 May 2021, 99.05% of the concerned flats had been inspected.

WASTE MANAGEMENT AND 4Rs2

Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
25 All softwood and at least 50% of all timber used for all types of timber doors in the new public housing developments shall be from sustainable sources in compliance with BEAM Plus (New Building) requirement. Fully met To be maintained
26 Use timber from sustainable sources for temporary works during construction. Fully met To be maintained
27 Enhance the use of “green” materials and components. Fully met To be maintained
28 Arrange publicity activities in PRH estates to promote recycling of domestic waste for paper by not less than 27,000 tonnes. Close to the target3 To be maintained
29 Arrange publicity activities in PRH estates to promote recycling of domestic waste for aluminium cans by not less than 1,400 tonnes. Fully met To be maintained
30 Arrange publicity activities in PRH estates to promote recycling of domestic waste for plastic bottles by not less than 1,800 tonnes. Fully met To be maintained
31 Promote recovery of domestic waste for used clothes by allowing charity organisations to collect used clothing and to promote used clothes recovery by not less than 850 tonnes in PRH estates. Close to the target4 not less than 650 tonne
32 Promote recovery of glass bottles for recycling by arranging joint publicity activities with green groups in PRH estates. Fully met To be maintained
33 Promote recovery of rechargeable batteries by arranging publicity activities in PRH estates. Fully met To be maintained
34 Reduce domestic waste by promoting waste reduction through various publicity campaigns such as EMAC newsletters and activities, and other joint activities with green groups. Fully met To be maintained
35 Promote waste separation at source and green management initiatives by
  • implementing source separation of domestic waste programme in all estates; and
  • setting up collection point in the PRH estates for collecting domestic recyclable from tenants with incentives such as cash or household sundries for exchange.
Fully met To be maintained
36 Use environment-friendly paper for printing of all publicity materials. Fully met To be maintained
37 Perform various initiatives to reduce 3.5% A3 and A4 paper consumption compared to 2013/14 in all HA offices under comparable operating conditions. Fully met To reduce 4.0% compared to 2013/14
38 Perform various initiatives to encourage paper recycling for not less than 37 kg per staff. Fully met To be maintained
Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
36 Use environment-friendly paper for printing of all publicity materials. Fully met To be maintained
37 Perform various initiatives to reduce 3.5% A3 and A4 paper consumption compared to 2013/14 in all HA offices under comparable operating conditions. Fully met To reduce 4.0% compared to 2013/14
38 Perform various initiatives to encourage paper recycling for not less than 37 kg per staff. Fully met To be maintained
2

4Rs include Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Replace.

3

The drop in waste paper recovered was due to a combination of factors. These include changes in many residents’ reading habit whereby they read printed newspapers less frequently; suspension of most of the promotional activities under the COVID-19 epidemic situation last year; and availability of more collection points currently in the community, etc.

4

Apart from the suspension of most of the promotional activities under the COVID-19 epidemic situation, the drop in used clothes recovered was due to residents’ increasing awareness of environmental protection and that more collection points are now available in the community, etc.

Water Conservation

Targets for 2020/21 2020/21 progress Targets for 2021/22
39 Reduce irrigation water consumption by providing Zero Irrigation Systems (ZIS) or other types of root-zone irrigation systems in all new building projects. Fully met To be maintained
40 Perform various initiatives to reduce 2.5% water consumption compared to 2015/16 for HAHQ under comparable operating conditions. Fully met To reduce 2.75% compared to 2015/16

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