The Kai Tak Development Area is growing into a distinguished, vibrant and people-oriented community on Victoria Harbour.
New government facilities like Trade & Industry Tower and Kowloon City Sewage Pumping Station have recently been commissioned.
These environmentally-friendly facilities not only provide convenience to the public but improve the area's environment.
At 22-storeys high, Trade & Industry Tower is the first government office building to be completed in the Kai Tak Development Area.
Keeping with the “Green City” concept for the area, the overall greening ratio of the project is over 40%, with more than 120 trees planted.
Tower of less power
Architectural Services Department Senior Project Manager Joanna Wai said the tower has environmentally-friendly features like energy-saving devices and renewable-energy technologies, which allow it to use 27% less power than other commercial buildings.
"The building uses low-emissivity double-glazing on the facade. The glazing allows high transition of daylight and effectively reduces solar heat adsorption so it can save the interior lighting and reduce the use of indoor cooling.
"There are many daylight features adopted in the building, such as the daylight tubes, daylight sun pipes, solar tracking light pipes and anidolic light. These features can bring the sunlight directly into the office interior."
The building accommodates different bureaus and departments including the Education Bureau, the Labour Department, the Social Welfare Department and the Working Family & Student Financial Assistance Agency.
The ground floor houses a post office and the Kai Tak Community Hall.
Prime the pump
Kowloon City No. 1 Sewage Pumping Station improves the water quality around Kai Tak.
Drainage Services Department Engineer Gigi Poon said the new pumping station greatly reduces the capacity constraints of the trunk sewers on Prince Edward Road East and Sung Wong Toi Road.
It eases sewer overflow concerns and improves the water quality of the Kai Tak approach channel.
The station installed a set of PV panels to convert solar energy into electricity. The electricity generated is about 15% of the station's annual electricity consumption.
"And also we installed the first rainwater harvesting system here. So in general we save about 12% in potable water use per year," Ms Poon said.
The station was awarded the Building Environmental Assessment Method Platinum Rating of Final Assessment, the first won by a government facility.
The Drainage Services Department will hold open days at Sha Tin Sewage Treatment Works on October 15 and 16 for the public to learn more about its work in flood prevention and sewage treatment. Admission is free.
