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The Buildings Department intends to introduce a Comprehensive Environmental Performance Assessment Scheme (CEPAS) to determine the green status of buildings.

A spokesman for the department said that a $4.18 million consultancy study was commissioned today (August 26) to provide a user-friendly CEPAS that was tailor-made and applicable to all types of existing and new buildings in Hong Kong.

As a tool, CEPAS is to assist in up-grading current environmental standards of our building industry.

"After completion of the study, a set of local standard guidelines in determining the green status of buildings will be developed," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, the Buildings Department also commissioned a $4.88 million consultancy to study the seismic effects on buildings in Hong Kong.

The 18-month study aims to assess the hazards and effects, evaluate the risks, formulate the mitigation strategies and set the priorities to deal with the various levels of risk posed by earthquakes to the structural safety of buildings in Hong Kong.

Both consultancy studies were awarded to Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd. The Acting Director of Buildings, Mr Cheung Hau-wai, signed the consultancy agreement for CEPAS while the Assistant Director of Buildings, Mr Cheung Kwok-ming, signed the agreement for seismic effect study.

End/Monday, August 26, 2002

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