Strategy designed to save the environment
The policy to exempt green and innovative features from the calculation of a building's gross floor area was announced in 2000 to encourage environmentally friendly architecture.
A joint practice note was issued in February 2001 by the Planning Department, the Lands Department and the Buildings Department to allow seven features to be exempt from floor-area calculations.
These were balconies, corridors and lift lobbies; sky gardens for residential buildings; podium gardens; acoustic fins; sunshades; wind catchers and noise barriers. These features were capped at 8 per cent of permitted gross floor area.
A year later, another practice note was issued, adding five features to the list. These were non-structural prefabricated external walls; utility platforms; mail delivery rooms; noise barriers and sky gardens for non-residential buildings. However, only mail delivery rooms and sky gardens for non-residential buildings are confined by the 8 per cent cap. A premium set at a standard rate by the Lands Department is required only for balconies, utility platforms and prefabricated walls. For example, a five-square-metre balcony in urban areas costs $135,000, while a utility platform on the islands is $6,608.
Gordon Siu Kwing-chue, secretary for planning, environment and lands at the time, said that the government hoped to create a culture in the community and the building industry that would lead to safer and greener designs.
Former director of buildings Leung Chin-man said approvals for innovative, green-building designs would be hastened. It was hoped the policy would prompt designs that would include solar energy, wind courses to save on air-conditioning bills and broader windows to save on lighting costs. Developers adopting green construction methods would also be rewarded with more floor area.
