Hong Kong must regulate building codes to tackle light pollution

An eye-catching photo appeared on the front page of this newspaper recently - the city's tallest building, the International Commerce Centre, gleaming like a sharp knife blade over Victoria Harbour at dusk. The glowing scene may be a visual treat, for many do not have the luxury of pausing to admire our world-renowned skyline. But for those who have to cope with so strong an image regularly, the shine can easily wear off. The disturbance to residents nearby can only be imagined.

We trust the picture gives clear evidence for those responsible to take action. The Legislative Council heard that the management company of ICC was already exploring ways to mitigate the problem. This followed an unknown number of complaints made to the building authorities in 2012. But ICC is not the only skyscraper with reflection problems. Whether others have taken similar remedial actions remains unclear.

Adding to the concern is the impact on road safety, as motorists complained of the glare beaming from the equally shiny International Finance Centre in Central at dusk. Although there appears to be no record of traffic accidents caused as a result, the potential hazard to drivers cannot be ignored.

The problems are not unique to Hong Kong. In September 2013, a curve-shaped London office tower nicknamed "the walkie-talkie" made headlines when its strong reflection was found to have burned off the doormat of a shop on the street. The heat was apparently so intense during certain hours of the day that the coating on the side mirror of a sports car parked nearby began to melt away within an hour. Thankfully, no comparable damage has been reported here so far. But with one of the world's highest concentrations of glitzy skyscrapers, our city is arguably more vulnerable than others.

The situation is complicated further by the lack of relevant building guidelines. The existing law only regulates glass curtain walls from a structural safety perspective, such as the strength and wind loads. It does not take into account light reflection, heat or other impacts on the environment. Even when a new guideline is under way to make the reflectiveness of glass walls a criterion for granting gross floor-area concessions, it only covers residential buildings and their recreational facilities. It is good that the government is considering extending restrictions to new commercial properties as well. Hopefully, light pollution will be less of a problem in future.