Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/article/1486872/rush-build-hong-kong-must-keep-cool
Comment/ Opinion

In the rush to build, Hong Kong must keep cool

Florence Lee says Hong Kong must reconsider its push to pack ever more flats into already dense urban areas, as the costs to health and the environment may outweigh the benefits

Rising urban temperatures also leads to increased energy consumption

The government is planning to increase the plot ratio by 20 per cent or more in some densely populated areas such as Kai Tak and Tun Mun East to boost housing supply.

Earlier this year, Secretary for Development Paul Chan Mo-po said raising the plot ratio for several sites at Kai Tak would provide an additional 6,850 flats and raise the population capacity by 20,000 to more than 110,000. He also mentioned maximising the development density of the Tuen Mun East land plot, allowing for 8,000 new homes - or eight times the original plan.