LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES
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Initiatives on Sustainable Development / Environmental Protection
The department continued to pursue environmentally sustainable development to promote the enhancement of energy efficiency and quality of public buildings and facilities so as to provide a safe and comfortable built environment for users.
The 'Overall Energy Approach' introduced to the industry and the public in 2000 has been widely adopted in new building projects for the partial recovery of waste energy to contribute to the overall energy required in improving the air quality of the built environment.
The incorporation of energy efficient features in public buildings and facilities continued during the year. More than 24 000 energy-efficient and environmentally friendly lighting fittings with T5 (16-millimetre diameter) fluorescent tubes were installed. Heat recovery chillers, thermal wheels, and heat exchangers were widely introduced in the design of new government offices, indoor recreation centres, schools and community halls. In promoting the use of energy efficient water-cooled air- conditioning systems (WACS), the department completed a total capacity of 15 megawatts of such systems for public buildings during the year, with a further 26 megawatts of WACS under design.
In respect of sustainable development, the initiative of installing photovoltaic panels in public buildings and facilities continued, and a total of 1 700 square metres of various types of photovoltaic panelling was added during the year. Another initiative is the introduction of an air-conditioning plant of about 10.5 kilowatts, utilising geothermal energy flow principles, in the design of the Visitor Centre at the Hong Kong Wetland Park. Through the incorporation of energy-saving features in the department's building designs in 2002, an estimated annual saving of energy of about 300 million megajoules was achieved.
The department continued to promote environmental best practices and good management at construction sites, and implemented the 'Green Contractor Award Scheme' for the second year. The environmental performance of contractors was closely monitored to minimise the impact on the environment as well as to ensure statutory compliance.
Land Administration
The Lands Administration Office of the Lands Department consists of the headquarters, 14 District Lands Offices and various specialist sections. Its main functions land acquisition, land disposal, land management and lease enforcement.
Land Acquisition
When private land has to be acquired in the public interest, mostly to implement public works projects, it may be acquired by negotiation or resumed under the relevant ordinances which provide for payment of compensation based on the value of the property and for business loss where appropriate, at the date of acquisition. If agreement cannot be reached on the amount of compensation, either party can refer the claim to the Lands Tribunal for adjudication. Apart from statutory compensation, there is an alternative system of ex gratia payments to provide a simplified compensation procedure.
In the New Territories, a total of 578 463 square metres of private land comprising 573 998 square metres of agricultural land and 4 465 square metres of