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The Housing Department is testing a series of greening initiatives at its construction projects to further enhance the provision of greenery to congested urban sites.
The Deputy Director of Housing (Development and Construction), Ms Ada Fung, said the department had always attached importance to environmental protection and greenery had been planted on rooftops of some of its shopping arcades, carparks and related small structures.
To further explore greening in housing estates, Eastern Harbour Crossing (EHC) Phase 4 in Yau Tong is testing a vertical green panel system in form of modular prefabricated external cladding.
¡§The panels can be cladded on vertical surfaces as well as installed at roof areas. The modulated prefabricated panels enable easy on-site installation and future maintenance works.¡¨
¡§To test the most optimal soil mix and plant species mixes for the panels, trial panels will be installed on site during construction stage and relocated to their permanent location upon completion of the project,¡¨ Ms Fung said.
EHC Phase 4, scheduled to be completed in mid-2009, consists of three 41-storey domestic blocks with 2,369 flats. A total of 2,650 square metres greening space will be provided.
Green roof is also proposed at EHC Phase 4 at all roof areas with minimum four hours direct sunlight per day including roofs of lift towers and ground floor canopy. Horizontal trellises are provided at both sides of the roof top of the footbridge and double deck walkway to allow growing of climbing species to enhance visual and thermal comfort.
¡§Greenery at roof offers wide range of benefits such as helping to reduce the heat island effect, contributing to building insulation and energy efficiency, and enhance visual comfort,¡¨ Ms Fung said.
To explore the feasibility of large reusable panels at hoarding, the construction site of EHC Phase 4 has adopted the pilot concept of green hoarding.
¡§The large reusable panels, which will serve as dust and noise screening devices, are demountable and can be moved to other construction sites.¡¨
"To improve the visual effects of man-made slopes and high retaining walls, all phases of EHC will carry out greening works to slopes and wall surfaces as far as possible to improve the overall environmental quality of the ¡¥hard¡¦ surface to increase green coverage and reduce heat island effect of the domestic blocks," Ms Fung said.
¡§Different design measures will be adopted to cope with specific site condition and constraints,¡¨ she said.
Ends/Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 11:00
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