ENG-2013 — Page 246

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Infrastructure Development and Heritage Conservation

In 2013, ArchSD commenced construction of 29 projects, including hospitals and clinics, schools, a sports centre, open space, a police station and the relocation works of the Court of Final Appeal. ArchSD also assisted government departments to progressively enhance accessibility to over 2,500 government buildings and facilities.

The Provision of Columbarium and Garden of Remembrance at Wo Hop Shek, the Sai Kung Tseung Kwan O Complex and the STFA Lee Kam Primary School received awards from the Hong Kong Institute of Architects in 2013 in recognition of their architectural excellence.

Building Safety and Maintenance

Ensuring the safety of Hong Kong's aging buildings continued to be one of the Development Bureau's key areas of work in 2013. To enhance building safety, the Development Bureau, in collaboration with the Buildings Department, has implemented measures covering four major areas: legislation; enforcement; support and assistance to building owners; and publicity and public education.

The Minor Works Control System, which provides building owners with simplified statutory procedures for carrying out small-scale building works, continues to grow in popularity. In 2013, 87,938 minor works submissions were received (as compared with 66,517 in 2012) and there have been 194,517 submissions since the scheme's implementation in December 2010. In 2013, the Buildings Department continued to administer the Mandatory Building Inspection Scheme and the Mandatory Window Inspection Scheme, requiring building owners to inspect and repair their buildings and windows regularly. The Validation Scheme for Unauthorised Signboards under the Signboard Control System commenced in September, allowing the continued use of certain unauthorised signboards after safety inspection, strengthening (if necessary) and certification by relevant building professionals and/or contractors.

The 'Operation Building Bright' programme, administered by the government, the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) and the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) to create more job opportunities for the building repair and maintenance industry and to improve building safety, gives financial assistance and technical advice to owners of old and dilapidated buildings to carry out repair and maintenance works on their buildings. The government and the two organisations allotted $3.5 billion to the programme when it was set up in 2009 to help repair and maintain over 3,100 buildings and create more than 60,000 job opportunities in the building, repair and maintenance industries.

The HKHS administers, on behalf of the government, a $1 billion Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Elderly Owners. Recipients may use the subsidy under the scheme to repair their premises or repay outstanding loans from the Buildings Department, the URA or the HKHS, which were made to keep their premises in proper condition. The scheme has received 17,932 applications since its inception in May 2008. Of these, 12,911 applications involving around $314.25 million were approved.

The HKHS and URA's 'Integrated Building Maintenance Assistance Scheme' has been providing building owners with comprehensive financial support since 2011.

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