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February 6, 2017

The highest honour in Green Building Leadership category under GBA 2016 goes to Housing Authority
The Housing Authority (HA) has received the highest honour in the Green Building Leadership category under the Green Building Award 2016 (GBA 2016). It is a new category of the award to recognise pioneering organisations contributing to a sustainable built environment.
     The Hung Fuk Estate Public Rental Housing Development in Hung Shui Kiu Area 13 by HA also won the Grand Award in the GBA 2016 New Buildings category (Completed Projects - Residential Building).
     HA has implemented innovative design strategies and principles for public housing developments, including carbon emission estimation and microclimate studies. New projects are planned with a green ratio of at least 20%. HA has also incorporated sustainability features such as recycled materials, energy-saving measures and water-saving initiatives in the construction stage.
     HA has trialled a new irrigation system for housing estate gardens. The Zero Irrigation System helps save fresh water and reduces storm water runoff.
     Retention boxes underneath the gardens collect excess rainwater. When the garden soil above dries, capillary action draws up water from the retention boxes to irrigate the plants in a self-sustaining cycle. A 50 sq m planter was constructed in Lung Yat Estate, Tuen Mun, in 2013.
     Throughout its two-year trial period no manual watering was needed and the plants remained in good condition. The test saved about 55 cubic meters of water per year. HA said the system will now be used more widely.
     It received the Merit Award (Research) under the Landscape Design Awards 2014 granted by the Institute of Landscape Architects and the Merit Award (Research & Planning Category) under the Green Building Award 2014 by the Green Building Council.

 
Inventive ideas: The Housing Authority has received the highest honour in
the Green Building Leadership category under the Green Building Award 2016


Efficient watering: A new irrigation system at Lung Yat Estate, Tuen Mun