Page 170 - The Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC) 香港綠色建築議會
P. 170
Private Sector Kwun Tong Town Centre Redevelopment:
Projects Striving for Sustainable Urban Renewal in
a High-Density Environment
if the building blocks were reconstructed of the local residents Hing Jie, ’Even though ventilation fitted with air purifying units so
individually by different parties. Besides the tree has been around for years, we did not that exhausts will be directed away from
providing better visual amenity, the greening realise how beautiful it is until this moment.‘ sensitive receivers. People can enjoy a
offers wide-ranging benefits such as car-free open space on the landscaped deck
mitigating the heat island effect in a densely The new development has adopted a above the podium, as well as the convenience
built-up area, enriching ecological values, compact, high-density design (average plot of an all-weather integrated PTI. Under
attenuating noise levels, and filtering air ratio of 7.5) to free up the space for greenery. existing conditions, the air quality is far from
pollutants. To conserve water, a grey water The existing clusters of low-rise buildings ideal, as reflected by the background air
recycling system will be used for irrigation will be replaced by seven strategically quality data measured by the Environmental
and/or cleansing where feasible. positioned building blocks on top of a podium Protection Department on the rooftop of the
that houses the double-decked PTI, refuse government building within the site. The
At the same time, taking heed of environmental collection point, commercial and retail areas, main air pollutants of concern are nitrogen
concerns and community desire, 30 old trees and the basement carpark/loading areas. dioxide (NO2) and Respirable Suspended
will be preserved on-site and 49 will be To ensure adequate air circulation, an air Particulates (RSP or PM10), which are related
transplanted. Albeit with good cause, these ventilation assessment employing wind to vehicular emissions and, to a lesser extent,
did pose additional challenges to the layout tunnel testing was conducted to optimise the various industrial undertakings around
design and execution of the works. Taking the the site layout and disposition of buildings. the site. With improved traffic arrangements
transplantation of the Chinese Banyan Tree at Taking advantage of the 8-metre elevation in the new development, computer modelling
the Yuet Wah Street Site as an example, the difference across the site, a terraced podium predicts that the air quality within the site
team of tree experts, engineers and workers was incorporated into the design to minimise will be acceptable even when the traffic
worked on-site from midnight until 06:30 on the need for cut and fill. Concomitantly, the flow is assumed to grow to more than 8,000
1 May 2011 to move the tree to its new home internal circulation space for vehicles within vehicles per hour along Kwun Tong Road (both
in an adjacent park. The use of a crane was the PTI can be reduced by assigning separate directions) at peak hours in the future (taking
infeasible due to the width and gradient of entrances for the franchised bus terminus and into account new developments in Kwun Tong
the access road. Therefore, an innovative minibus terminus, which are located on two District as a whole).
method utilising a hydraulic jacking system different levels. Despite this, passengers can
was adopted to lift the 300-tonne tree easily move between the two decks by using Another commonly encountered en-
inclusive of the soil pocket used to protect the lifts, escalators and stairs. vironmental issue at an urban site with
root balls, and then carefully move it along a access privileges is noise pollution, which
purpose-built track. In addition to preserving By enclosing the PTI in the podium of the has an adverse impact on the indoor
the roots, the method also avoided excessive new development, pedestrian/vehicular environmental quality (IEQ). Since the heavily
pruning of the tree canopy. The residents conflicts will be minimised. Vehicle emissions trafficked Kwun Tong Road and the MTR
appreciated the effort, as exclaimed by one will also be mitigated through mechanical abut the southern boundary of the site, the
168 HONG KONG REPORT ON THE STATE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014
Projects Striving for Sustainable Urban Renewal in
a High-Density Environment
if the building blocks were reconstructed of the local residents Hing Jie, ’Even though ventilation fitted with air purifying units so
individually by different parties. Besides the tree has been around for years, we did not that exhausts will be directed away from
providing better visual amenity, the greening realise how beautiful it is until this moment.‘ sensitive receivers. People can enjoy a
offers wide-ranging benefits such as car-free open space on the landscaped deck
mitigating the heat island effect in a densely The new development has adopted a above the podium, as well as the convenience
built-up area, enriching ecological values, compact, high-density design (average plot of an all-weather integrated PTI. Under
attenuating noise levels, and filtering air ratio of 7.5) to free up the space for greenery. existing conditions, the air quality is far from
pollutants. To conserve water, a grey water The existing clusters of low-rise buildings ideal, as reflected by the background air
recycling system will be used for irrigation will be replaced by seven strategically quality data measured by the Environmental
and/or cleansing where feasible. positioned building blocks on top of a podium Protection Department on the rooftop of the
that houses the double-decked PTI, refuse government building within the site. The
At the same time, taking heed of environmental collection point, commercial and retail areas, main air pollutants of concern are nitrogen
concerns and community desire, 30 old trees and the basement carpark/loading areas. dioxide (NO2) and Respirable Suspended
will be preserved on-site and 49 will be To ensure adequate air circulation, an air Particulates (RSP or PM10), which are related
transplanted. Albeit with good cause, these ventilation assessment employing wind to vehicular emissions and, to a lesser extent,
did pose additional challenges to the layout tunnel testing was conducted to optimise the various industrial undertakings around
design and execution of the works. Taking the the site layout and disposition of buildings. the site. With improved traffic arrangements
transplantation of the Chinese Banyan Tree at Taking advantage of the 8-metre elevation in the new development, computer modelling
the Yuet Wah Street Site as an example, the difference across the site, a terraced podium predicts that the air quality within the site
team of tree experts, engineers and workers was incorporated into the design to minimise will be acceptable even when the traffic
worked on-site from midnight until 06:30 on the need for cut and fill. Concomitantly, the flow is assumed to grow to more than 8,000
1 May 2011 to move the tree to its new home internal circulation space for vehicles within vehicles per hour along Kwun Tong Road (both
in an adjacent park. The use of a crane was the PTI can be reduced by assigning separate directions) at peak hours in the future (taking
infeasible due to the width and gradient of entrances for the franchised bus terminus and into account new developments in Kwun Tong
the access road. Therefore, an innovative minibus terminus, which are located on two District as a whole).
method utilising a hydraulic jacking system different levels. Despite this, passengers can
was adopted to lift the 300-tonne tree easily move between the two decks by using Another commonly encountered en-
inclusive of the soil pocket used to protect the lifts, escalators and stairs. vironmental issue at an urban site with
root balls, and then carefully move it along a access privileges is noise pollution, which
purpose-built track. In addition to preserving By enclosing the PTI in the podium of the has an adverse impact on the indoor
the roots, the method also avoided excessive new development, pedestrian/vehicular environmental quality (IEQ). Since the heavily
pruning of the tree canopy. The residents conflicts will be minimised. Vehicle emissions trafficked Kwun Tong Road and the MTR
appreciated the effort, as exclaimed by one will also be mitigated through mechanical abut the southern boundary of the site, the
168 HONG KONG REPORT ON THE STATE OF SUSTAINABLE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 2014
