ENG-1996 — Page 279

LAND, PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES

Landslip Preventive Measures Programme. This has produced a significant increase in the number of statutory orders served on building owners requiring them to carry out slope remedial works. Many air-conditioning cooling towers in industrial areas have been left unattended in recent years as factory operations moved across the border. To ensure public safety, an operation was launched to remove abandoned or dilapidated cooling towers in San Po Kong and Chai Wan. In all, 1043 cooling towers were removed.

The government has been pursuing initiatives to improve fire safety standards in commercial premises. Fire safety measures in other premises, such as banks, jewellers, betting centres, shopping arcades and supermarkets, are also required to be improved.

The Public Sector

The Architectural Services Department (Arch SD) provides planning and technical advice on building-related matters to all government departments and financial control and project management for both public building developments under the Public Works Programme and subvented building projects financed by the government. It is also responsible for professional design services for government departments, the Hospital Authority, the Urban Council, the Regional Council and the Military Forces in Hong Kong; and it provides maintenance services for buildings owned or occupied by these bodies.

The department celebrated its 10th anniversary in 1996 with a series of events. Roving exhibitions were displayed in public venues in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories to show recently completed projects. Seminars were conducted for different target groups including client departments, professional institutes and the general public. The discussions included topics such as design and build contracts, landscape design, value management and professional practices, some being held in conjunction with mainland Chinese counterparts to share professional expertise and experience.

During the year the department's Quality Assurance Certificate, ISO 9001, was extended to include its Advisory Services. In addition, the new ISO 14 000 on Environmental Management is now being pursued. Value management techniques have also been introduced and used on eight major projects during the year with encouraging results. A new Project Management Branch has been established to process new projects more effectively. The branch consists of three Project Directors and 18 Project Managers who are now able to work dedicatedly with clients on their projects. An 'access to information' service has also been set up, provided to the public through assigned officers and a resource centre.

The Arch SD has also been active in the local professional scene. The Chan Nam Cheong, Special School project won the 1996 Hong Kong Institute of Architects President's Prize. Photographs of the Kun Ting Study Hall and the Restoration of the Tai Fu Tai Nobleman's House won a photographic competition on vernacular architecture held in the city of Tai Yuen in China. In the Urban Council Flower Show, the department won an award for design excellence in the Special Display Section (Local) for a Landscape Design.

During 1996, the Arch SD designed or constructed 392 projects valued at $41.2 billion. It monitored a further 416 projects valued at $18.2 billion. Actual expenditure

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