246 Land, Public Works and Utilities
Initiatives in Sustainable Development
The department is committed to and continued its efforts in furthering the sustainable development of the building industry.
In developing a sustainable design, a holistic approach is adopted to consider the integration and compatibility of the project with the peripheral environment, the conservation and efficient use of land, energy and material resources, the enhancement of indoor environmental quality and the ease to operate, service and maintain.
To promote and guide the industry to pursue environmental sustainability in delivering public projects, the General Specification for Building has been updated. New requirements with green and sustainable principles are added, such as the use of recycled aggregates, timber from certified sustainable forests, paints with low volatile organic compound contents, environmentally friendly carpets and so on.
The department continued to take the lead in using energy efficient technologies in building services installations and promoting the use of renewable energy. During the year, an estimated annual saving of 400 million megajoules of energy was achieved through the use of energy efficient devices and about 4 460 square metres of photovoltaic panels with a total electrical capacity of 560 kilowatts were installed in new projects. A new design concept of Total Energy Heat Pump, through the research and development efforts of the department, has been registered as copyright under the Federation of Hong Kong Industries. This installation not only minimises the dissipation of waste heat into the environment but also greatly increases the overall coefficient of performance of the machine by 200 per cent.
The efforts of the department in promoting sustainability were fully recognised by renowned organisations. Awards received included the President's Prize for the improvement project to Sai Kung Waterfront under the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Award 2003 and the Certificate of Merit for Sai Ying Pun Community Complex under the Quality Building Award 2004. The Public Health Laboratory also received the Certificates of Merit both under the Hong Kong Institute of Architects Annual Award 2003 and the Quality Building Award 2004. These projects met the needs of society and delivered practical values to their users. The Environmental, Health and Safety Report 2003 also received the Commendation for Sustainability Reporting Award 2003 from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Hong Kong.
Land Administration
The Lands Administration Office of the Lands Department consists of the headquarters, 12 District Lands Offices and various specialist sections. Its main functions are land acquisition, land disposal, land management and lease enforcement.
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