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Summary
Our Environmental, Health and Safety Performance at a Glance
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We completed most of the 48 environmental targets. Together with
10 targets of substantial progress, we have fully or nearly met 90%
of our targets. With regard to the nine health and safety targets
identified for the year, all were completed. |
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Due to various unforeseen reasons, the remaining four targets were
behind schedule and one was withdrawn. Of these, our target on water
reduction was not achieved due to the intensive cleaning programme
had increased the water demand after the outbreak of SARS. |
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We have been enhancing the planning and design of our new buildings
with the aid of computerized fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. Using
CFD we have studied the effects of microclimate on the users around
and within our buildings. |
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In waste reduction and management, we made significant achievements
including a 7% year-on-year reduction in our construction and demolition
(C&D) waste disposal. A 20% year-on-year increase in the use of
recycled aggregates at construction sites. Our residents made 0.27
kg less domestic waste per person per day than the Hong Kong average. |
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Our recent Public Housing Recurrent Survey 2004 reports an increasing
satisfaction (62% compared with 52% and 45% in 2003 and 2002 respectively)
amongst our tenants of the cleanliness and environmental hygiene conditions
in our estates. |
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There were eight convictions: one for air, six for construction
noise and one for water pollution. This was an improvement compared
with 20 convictions in 2002 / 03. |
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There were 195 accidents at our new works construction sites, which
represent a 28% year-on-year reduction and 60 maintenance works related
accidents compared with 119 and 204 cases in 2002 and 2001 respectively. |
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There were 67 health and safety convictions against our construction.
Of these 38 were due to public health non-compliance associated with
mosquito breeding, and 29 were on site safety. |
Paving the Way for Sustainable Housing
Our major environmental, health and safety performance during 2003 / 04 for paving the way for sustainable
housing are listed below.
Planning and Ensuring a Healthy and Hygienic Living Environment
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We initiated a series of special cleansing and hygiene measures
since the outbreak of SARS including cleansing and disinfecting common
facilities and placing over 400 automatic hand soap dispensers and
sanitizers at 160 of our shopping centres and car parks. |
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We commissioned specialists to advise on the drainage design and
to prepare design, installation and maintenance guidelines. |
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We launched the Drainage Ambassador Scheme and inspected over 282 000 units in more than 831 blocks. |
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We launched a Marking Scheme for Tenancy Enforcement where points
are allotted to households committing misdeeds and a penalty system
is in place to trigger action for tenancy termination. |
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We started relocating cooked food stalls from open areas to enclosed
premises. |
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370 joint raids against illegal cooked food hawkers were conducted
together with the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and the
police and 1 010 seizures and 90 arrests were recorded. |
Reducing Construction and Demolition Waste
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We achieved a 7% reduction in our C&D waste disposal through
various initiatives. |
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We incorporated durable and reusable materials into design plans
and extended building lifetime through effective maintenance aiming
to reduce C&D waste. |
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We recovered reusable and recyclable materials from deconstructed
old buildings and other construction sites and used these recovered
materials in all building construction projects. |
Encouraging Our Residents to Reduce and Recycle Household Waste
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The domestic waste generated per person per day in our estates remained
steady at 0.82 kg. |
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Over 127 000 households in eight housing estates have easy access
to separation bins in the common areas of their floors. |
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18 Housing Department direct-managed estates joined the Waste Recovery
Trial Scheme and five rental estates and five Home Ownership Scheme
courts joined the Plastic Bags Recovery Trial Scheme organized by
the Environmental Protection Department. |
Safeguarding Water Quality for Our Residents and Reducing Water Wastage
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We continued to replace galvanized steel potable water supply pipes
with copper and ductile iron pipes and completed re-plumbing works
in 47 rental blocks. |
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99 housing blocks were certified under the Fresh Water Plumbing
Quality Maintenance Recognition Scheme. |
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All of our construction sites involving large diameter bored piling
works now adopt water recycling facilities to minimize wastewater. |
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We were not able to meet our target of reduction in potable water
consumption due to the necessary demand for cleaning water to deal
with the threats of SARS and Avian Influenza. |
Enhancing Energy Efficiency
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We conducted "micro-climate" studies using sophisticated
computer software and the findings enabled us to formulate energy
efficient building specification and design guides. |
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We installed a number of energy saving equipment including lighting
with electronic ballast, water-cooled air conditioning system and air-curtains,
and ran a trial scheme on "Luminosity Enhancement Jacket". |
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Two shopping centres were certified under the Energy Efficiency
Registration Scheme. |
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The total electricity consumption of our headquarters decreased
by 8.2% year-on-year. |
Minimizing Ozone Layer Destruction and Enhancing Air Quality
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We banned the use of ozone-depleting refrigerants in all our central
air conditioning systems and retrofitted / replaced all affected chillers
with CFC free refrigerants. |
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We installed over 50 biotechnology odour controlling equipment and
150 packaged deodourizers at refuse handling facilities. |
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We launched a trial use of Gas Desiccant Dehumidification systems
equipped with air conditioning and installed Ultra-violet Radiation
Lighting in wet markets. |
Reducing Noise Nuisance at Our Construction Sites and in Estates
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We conducted a number of pilot studies on noise reducing construction
equipment and methods including hydraulic pile-jacking method and
hydraulic concrete crushers, and self-compacting concrete and found
that these methods can effectively minimize noise effect. |
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We replaced 35 quieter water pumps in our estates. |
Implementing Environmental, Health and Safety Procurement
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We further developed our cleansing contract requirements to include
Environmental Management Plan and guidelines for purchasing and using
cleansing products. |
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We adopted Life Cycle Costing in the procurement of lifts and escalators. |
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We expanded the Pay for Safety Scheme into more contracts and included
Safe Working Cycle as a contractual requirement for all capital works
projects. |
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The Integrated Pay for Safety, Environment and Hygiene Scheme was
implemented in three ongoing construction projects. |
Conserving Natural Resources
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Our contractors saved over 28 500 tonnes of timber by using metal
formwork and precast concrete elements. |
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We conducted a trial to "butt-join" shortened pieces of
wood to produce wooden planks and volumetric precasting to reduce
wood consumption. |
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We increased the use of recycled aggregates at our construction
sites by 20% year-on-year. |
Handling Hazardous Materials in an Environmentally Friendly and Safe Manner
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We surveyed 50 of our estate schools and removed the potentially
high risk asbestos containing material. |
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We collected 63 000 and disposed of 22 000 spent mercury-containing
lamps since 2002 in an environmentally friendly and safe manner. |
Enhancing the Living Environment through Estate Landscaping and Greening
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We planted about 10 000 trees, 841 500 shrubs and 96 800 annual
plants at our new and existing estates. |
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We upgraded the standard of existing landscape facilities covering
110 000 square metres and greened 6 000 square metres. |
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We greened 9 600 square metres of newly formed slopes and 10 existing
slopes. |
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We won the Champion Award for Design Excellence in the Hong Kong
Flower Show. |
Ensuring High Safety Standard in Our Buildings and Workplace
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We planned to issue design guidelines on the practical features
of the UK's Construction (Design and Management) Regulations. |
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We encourage site safety culture through including safety contractual
requirements such as Green Card, Safe Working Cycle and Pay for Safety
Scheme. |
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We launched a number of programmes to raise public awareness of
fire safety at home. |
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We are pleased that 98% of our performance pledges for estate emergency
were fully achieved. |
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The total number of accidents during our new works and maintenance
works contracts was 255 accidents in 2003 compared with 390 accidents in 2002. |
Raising Awareness among Staff and Other Stakeholders and Encouraging Partnerships
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We supported 16 environmental training events attended by over 400
staff members. |
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We arranged self-learning construction site safety packages and
held safety training courses attended by over 560 staff members. |
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We promoted environmentally friendly property management through
participating in the Best Property Management Award and six property
management companies employed by the Housing Authority received awards. |
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We worked with business partners to implement various awareness
raising initiatives such as organizing our International Housing Conference
for international practitioners to share experience, co-organizing
the Quality Public Housing Construction and Maintenance Awards. |
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We worked with our residents and the community to promote awareness
on environmental hygiene. Initiatives implemented include organizing
some 290 estate-based cleansing activities and the Best Hygiene Award
for Food Premises and Excellence Award for Toilet Cleaners which had
drawn almost 200 million votes, organizing eco-bazaars at 25 selected
estates and setting up Team Clean Corners. |
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We organized the first of its kind the Top Ten Favourite Trees in Public
Housing Estates aiming to promote public awareness. |
Ensuring High Environmental, Health and Safety Standards at Our Own Offices
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Our Quality Management Unit launched an e-filing system for paperless operations. |
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We achieved a 5% reduction year-on-year in total paper consumption
and 100% of paper used for our publications in 2003 / 04 was environmentally friendly. |
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We provide our staff members with a non-smoking and clean working
environment at our headquarters where various trees and plants are
planted. |
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We encourage balanced work life by organizing a number of social
activities participated by over 7 100 staff members and providing
a counselling hotline service. |
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With the active involvement of our staff, we won the Wastewi$e Scheme
award for three consecutive years. |
The Way Forward
In order to pave way towards sustainable housing, we will continue to strengthen
our performance on environment, health and safety. Our future targets
and initiatives shall be underpinned by the principles of sustainable development,
and these principles shall be applied in policy development and the planning,
design, construction and management of our projects and estates. We have
set ourselves the following major new environmental and safety targets.
Environmental Risks
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Maintain a clean and healthy environment through continued implementation
of our various environmental and hygiene schemes. |
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Complete our asbestos abatement programme. |
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Replace cast iron soil and waste pipes inside domestic flats; and
replace cast galvanized steel water pipes for estates with poor water
quality and participate in the Fresh Water Plumbing Quality Maintenance
Recognition Scheme. |
Noise
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Replace more water pumps with quieter ones. |
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Explore quieter construction equipment and technology. |
Waste Reduction and Management
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Increase waste reduction efforts at our estates and in our construction
works. |
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Maintain our research into selective demolition techniques and waste
material reuse. |
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Continue our recovery of spent mercury-containing lamps. |
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Further encourage and improve upon green practices in our own offices. |
Energy and Resources Conservation
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Reduce energy consumption in our headquarters and shopping centres. |
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Explore more energy saving equipment and measures. |
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Reduce water wastage / consumption at construction sites and in
estates. |
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Continue to minimize timber and cement consumption and increase
the use of recycled aggregates in our construction works. |
Greening and Landscaping
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Improve landscaping and greening in estates and their slopes. |
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Promote residents' involvement in estate greening. |
Environmental Knowledge and Innovative Designs
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Develop a Life Cycle Assessment system to support sustainable building
development. |
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Continue with "micro-climate" studies for our new buildings
to support healthy living. |
Safety Performance
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Reduce the accident rate for new works to below 30 per 1 000 workers. |
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Establish a database to monitor the site safety performance in maintenance
works. |
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Continue to enhance safe practice in our construction and maintenance
works. |
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Continue to partner with industry stakeholders to promote construction
safety awareness through territory-wide publicity campaigns. |
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