ENG-2009 — Page 287

Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation | 223

Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground, the Diamond Hill Crematorium, the Indoor Recreation Centre, Community Hall-cum-Library in Tung Chung, schools, improvements to sports facilities and works on open space facilities.

Work started on 24 projects in 2009. These included major projects such as the New Civil Aviation Department Headquarters, the Tseung Kwan O Hospital expansion, Redevelopment of the Victoria Park Swimming Pool Complex, the Wo Hop Shek Crematorium and the Lam Tin North Municipal Services Building.

In line with the Government's policy on sustainable development, the department continued promoting and practising sustainable public architecture and improving the energy efficiency in government buildings and public facilities. Conservation of historic and heritage buildings is also promoted continuously to protect, preserve and revitalise them. On green architecture, the department adopts. the Government policy of incorporating in its architectural designs a blending of green elements such as those present in landscaped gardens and green rooftops. The department was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the organisers of the 2008 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence. Three other projects carried out by the department also won awards bestowed by the Hong Kong Institute of Architects for achievements in heritage conservation, urban design and universal accessibility. The winning projects were: the Ping Shan Tang Clan Gallery-cum-Heritage Trail Visitors Centre, the Stanley Waterfront Improvement Works, and a special school for severely mentally handicapped children in Tin Shui Wai.

Building Safety and Maintenance

Encouraging owners to maintain their buildings properly, to carry out timely repairs and to ensure building safety continued to be the Development Bureau's key areas of work in 2009. There were two major developments during the year: the building control regime was modernised and an initiative to help owners repair their buildings was introduced.

Following the passage of the Buildings (Amendment) Ordinance 2008 which. outlined the framework of a minor works control system, subsidiary legislation detailing the modus operandi of the system was enacted in 2009 for the streamlining of the statutory control procedures for small-scale building works enabling building owners to adopt simplified statutory procedures to carry out small- scale building works such as the installation of drying racks and supporting frames for air conditioners. The registration of minor works contractors started in late 2009 while the new control system will become fully operational during 2010.

In May 2009, the Government joined hands with the Hong Kong Housing Society and the Urban Renewal Authority to launch a one-off drive, called Operation Building Bright, to alleviate the unemployment situation in the building repair and maintenance industry caused by the financial tsunami and to improve building safety. Owners of old and dilapidated buildings were given financial help to carry out repair and maintenance works on their buildings.