Design and Applied Technology Teaching Kit for Senior Secondary Curriculum

Design and Innovation

Health and Safety
Controls on Private
Residential Buildings
in Hong Kong
[Student notes]

Organizer Sponsor Research Team

Contents

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Preamble
Learning plan i

Lesson 1: Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in

Hong Kong

1.1 Principles of Building Controls 01

1.1.1 Statutory Standards on Health and Safety Controls 01
1.2 Controls on Lighting and Ventilation — Windows 02

1.2.1 Regulations and Guidelines on Windows 02

1.2.2 Bay Windows 03

Exercise 1: Case study — Development of bay windows in Singapore 04

Exercise 2: Studying the windows in your flat 05

1.3 Controls on Vertical Circulation Space — Staircases 06

1.3.1 Regulations and Guidelines on Staircases 06

1.3.2 Scissor Staircases 08

Exercise 3: Studying the staircase in your residential block 09

Exercise 4: Problems of inflated buildings and solutions 10

Summary, Key words and Further reading 12

Appendix: Development Parameters for Private Residential Buildings 13

Disclaimer
Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part
in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the
views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
© 2012 Hong Kong Institute of Architects
Topic 06
Health and Safety Controls on
Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Major teaching areas Interdisciplinary teaching areas
Design and Applied Technology Liberal Studies
Strand 1 Design and Innovation
• Design consideration • M2 Hong Kong Today

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Strand 2 Technology Principles
• Nature of technology
Strand 3 Value and Impact
• Values in technology and design

Learning objectives
• To understand how building regulations support the betterment of health and safety on private
residential building, focusing on windows and vertical circulation space
• To learn two Hong Kong residential building features : bay windows and scissor staircases.
• To explore how building development and controls impact the environment, emerging urban forms,
and health and safety on a macro scale.

Learning plan
Lesson Contents
Lesson 1 • 1.1 Principles of building controls on private residential buildings
in Hong Kong
Health and Safety Controls
on Private Residential • 1.1.1 Statutory Standards on Health and Safety Controls
Buildings in Hong Kong
• 1.2.1 Statutory controls on lighting and ventilation — windows
• 1.2 Controls on Lighting and Ventilation
• 1.2.2 Understanding bay windows
• Exercise 1 Case study — Development of bay windows in Singapore
• Exercise 2 Studying the windows in your flat
• 1.3 Controls on Vertical Circulation Space
• 1.3.1 Statutory controls on vertical circulation space
• 1.3.2 Understanding scissor staircases
• Exercise 3 Studying the staircase in your residential block
• Exercise 4 Problems of inflated buildings and solutions
Appendix Extended knowledge of development parameters for private residential
buildings
Development Parameters
for Private Residential • Site area
Buildings
• Site classification
• Site Coverage
• Gross Floor Area
• Plot Ratio
• Common building features i
Lesson 1
Health and Safety Controls on
Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
1.1 Principles of Building Controls
To promote a healthy and safe built environment, Hong Kong’s Government enacts statutory standards in

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
the form of ordinances, regulations and guidelines. These may ensure user comfort by regulating lighting
and ventilation, enforce urban design plans by setting rules on open space and density, or protect life

‘ ’
safety by requiring means of escape and engineering for earthquakes and landslides.

To provide for the planning, design and construction of buildings and associated works; to
make provision for the rendering safe of dangerous buildings and land; and to make provision
for matters connected therewith.
- Buildings Ordinance (CAP 123), 1956

1.1.1 Statutory Standards on Health and Safety Controls Buildings Department

• Buildings Ordinance in 1956 (CAP 123)
• Building (Planning) Regulations (CAP 123F)
• Practice Notes for Authorized Persons (PNAPs)
• Codes of Practice and Design Manuals
Note: The Hong Kong Housing Authority is exempted from the Building
Ordinance for the construction of public housing estates.
The Buildings Department (BD) is
responsible to promote and facilitate the
construction and maintenance of quality
and sustainable buildings through its
many services within the purview of the
Buildings Ordinance and Regulations as
well as other building laws.
Vision : To make the built environment
safe and healthy for our community
Mission : To set and enforce safety, health
and environmental standards for private
buildings

[Discussion]
1 What would happen if there were no health and safety controls on private residential buildings?

01
p Kowloon Walled City
1.2 Controls on Lighting and Ventilation — Windows
Windows provide natural light and air to the interior of a building. The number, size and quality of windows
is regulated through the Building Ordinance.

‘
PART IV Lighting and Ventilation
Every storey of every building used or intended to be used for the purpose of an office or for
habitation shall be provided with effectual means of lighting and ventilation. — Building (Planning)
Regulations 29

Every room used for habitation or for the purposes of an office or as a kitchen shall be provided
with natural lighting and ventilation. — Building (Planning) Regulations 30(1)

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
No building shall be erected in such a manner as to reduce the quantity of light and air available to
any other building... — Building (Planning) Regulations 37

≥
≥

p Aluminium frame is excluded from p Section diagram of prescribed window

glass area of a window

1.2.1 Regulations and Guidelines on Windows

Prescribed Window are mandatory to be included in a certain room for health and
safety purposes.
Size of Prescribed Window — Building (Planning) Regulations 30(2)
• Window area ≥ 1/10 area of the floor of the room
• Window area that could be opened ≥ 1/16 area of the floor of the room
• Top of the opening of each window ≥ 2 m above the level of the floor
• Sill at a level 1 m above the level of the floor
Minimum Requirements for Prescribed Window (to external air) — Building (Planning) Regulations 32
• Faces into a street which is not less than 4.5 m wide, OR
• Faces into a space uncovered and unobstructed above the area delineated by the rectangular
horizontal plane
• Distance from any part of room from prescribed window≤ 9 m
02
1.2.2 Bay Windows
As one of the green initiatives to end-users, bay
windows with less than 500 mm depth have been
exempted from GFA calculation since the 1980s. Bay
windows increase the flow of natural light into a
residential unit as well as provide special views of the
outside.

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
‘ ’
5. Projecting Windows - PNAP APP-19, revised Jan 2011 * (was know as PNAP68 in 1980)
...Projecting windows will not be regarded as GFA and will be accepted as not counting for
site coverage and plot ratio, if they satisfy all the following criteria within the storey :
For living room, dining room or bedroom of domestic accommodation only.
• Only 1 projecting window is allowed per room, and on one external wall only.
• Total area of projecting window ≤ 50% of the total area of the external wall.
• Extent of projection ≤ 100 mm** from outer face of main external wall.
• The base ≥ 500 mm* above finished floor level.
• Protective barrier 1100 mm from floor level (fixed window, lowermost 150 mm of such
barrier shall be built solid).
• The projecting windows will not form a piecemeal addition to existing buildings.

* This practice note is applicable to all new building plans or major revision of building plans for development
proposals submitted to the Building Department for approval on or after 1 April 2011.

** one major revision on the extent projection from 500 mm (since 1980) to 100 mm (since April 2011).

Extent of GFA
calculation

Depth of bay
window Extent of
projection

External wall
thickness

Extent of projection
Area exempted from
GFA calculation
p Depth of bay window p Section diagram of bay window
03
 [Exercise 1]
Case study - Development of bay windows in Singapore
Article below was extracted from a circular of Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority (Circular Number:
URA/PB/2008/17-DCD). Please study the article below:

Changes to Gross Floor Area (GFA) exemption guidelines —

GFA to include (1) bay windows in all developments
Currently, bay windows are exempted from GFA and sold as internal spaces of a residential unit.

Increasingly, we are seeing a proliferation of bay windows among the newer residential developments with the

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
buildings virtually wrapped around by bay windows. Often the provision of bay windows is intended mainly to
increase the saleable strata space. In order to overcome the standard bay window façade appearance, some
architects have resorted to provide cladding to hide the bay windows. The result is that this feature adds immense
‘bulk’ to a building and influences the design outcome of developments.

In addition, the extensive use of bay windows will lead to higher heat transfer into buildings and increase the need
for air-conditioning to cool the building. BCA has advised that many existing residential buildings with extensive
bay windows are found to exceed the prescribed Residential Envelope Transmittance Value (RETV) of 25 W/m2. The
extensive provision of bay windows therefore runs counter to the objective of encouraging energy efficient building
design and sustainability.

[External Reference]
Original text can be found at:
ht t p ://w w w.ur a.gov.s g /c ir cular s /t ex t /d c 0 8 - 1 7 . ht m

1 What are the problems with bay windows found in Singapore?

2 There are some building elements either not counted or exempted from GFA calculations if they are
considered to be green features, such as bay windows. However, areas of these elements can be
included in saleable areas. Some developers built excessive size bay windows to increase their
profits. What do you think to this kind of practice? (See Appendix VI)

04
 [Exercise 2]
Studying the windows in your flat.
Choose one set of windows in your flat (living room, dining room, bedroom or kitchen) and measure the followings.
Find out how the design fit the regulations on windows.

Measuring windows at your home

A) Size of glass = m2 (exclude window frame)

(A)
B) Size of room = m2
Lighting and View

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Ratio of A/B =
(A) (A)

(C) (C)

C) Size of glass, which is open-able

= m2 (exclude window frame)

B) Size of room = m2
(open-able glass)

(C) (C)
Ventilation

(A) Ratio of C/B =

 
Open-able glass : D) Lowest point to floor = mm
(C)
(D) (E) E) Highest point to floor= mm

F) Depth of Bay Window = mm

*for building construction submitted for approval after April 2011, it should
be less than 100 mm
(Projecting Windows)

 
G) Distance of Bay Window base to floor = m
Bay Window

(F)

H) Distance of Bay Window top to ceiling = m

(G)

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1.3 Controls on Vertical Circulation Space — Staircases

‘ ’
Staircases, Fire Escape and Access for Firefighting and Rescue Purposes
Every building which exceeds 1 storey in height shall be provided with a staircase or staircases to
give access to upper floors unless there is separate access to such upper floors. — Building (Planning)
Regulations 39(1)

The main staircase of every building which exceeds 4 storeys in height shall be continued to the
roof of the building unless a secondary staircase of fire escape is provided. — Building (Planning)
Regulations 39(2)

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Every building shall be provided with such means of escape in case of emergency as may be required
by the intended use of the building. — Building (Planning) Regulations 41

1.3.1 Regulations and Guidelines on Staircases

Minimum Requirements for Main Staircases — Building (Planning) Regulations 39
• Clear Height ≥ 2 m
• Clear Width ≥ 900 mm
• Tread width ≥ 225 mm, Riser height ≤ 175 mm
• Have not more than 16 steps in any flight without the introduction of a landing
• Handrail on one or both sides, with specified dimension requirement.
• Access to a street or to an open space leading thereto

Clear height
≥2m

Clear width ≥ 900 mm 1

p Handrail shall be added on both sides of staircases p Clear height and width of staircases 06
 Riser height
≤ 175 mm

Tread width A landing for every

≥ 225 mm 16 steps maximum

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
p Minimum stairs tread width and p Landing requirement in staircases
maximum stairs riser height

Means of Escape — Building (Planning) Regulations 41

• “Every building which exceeds 6 storeys...uppermost storey is more than 17 m...shall, in addition to
the main staircase, be provided with a second staircase as means of escape in case of emergency”. -
B(P)R 41
• More specific requirements for access staircases for firefighting and rescue stairways and lifts.

Distance from staircase — Building (Planning) Regulations 43

• “Every part of any building intended for habitation...shall be ≤ 24 m from a staircase, passage or other
normal means of egress”.

p Direct distance from any part of the building to the nearest staircase
© Buildings Department

07
1.3.2 Scissor Staircases
Scissor staircases are an effective design strategy to minimize common
areas (core) and thus maximize residential (saleable) area. This is an
innovative feature in residential buildings in Hong Kong.
The scissor staircase design is
• A set of two intertwined stairs located within one stairwell enclosure
• Two adjacent flights connect the same floors in opposite directions,
crossing each other like a scissor
• In enclosed scissor stairs it is possible for two people to climb or
descend simultaneously without ever having to meet each other.

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
p Illustrations of scissor staircase
In comparison to an ordinary staircase, a scissor staircase... ©Helen Lo
Advantages of scissor staircases Disadvantages of scissor staircases

[Discussion]
1 Do you notice any common architectural layouts in residential buildings in Hong Kong?

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 [Exercise 3]
Studying the staircase in your residential block
Choose one of the staircases in your residential block and measure the following to figure out how the
design fits the regulations on vertical circulation.

Measuring staircases in your residential block

Sketch the design of the staircase
Staircase(s) within your building = staircase(s)
Quantity

(Regulation: at least 2 staircases for building exceed 6 storeys)

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Please draw a simple plan to indicate
approximate location of the staircase. For each staircase:

Start on floor (location )

End on floor (location )

Access to every floor? YES / NO

(Regulation: provide access to street/open space, rooftop, every floor

as Means of Escape)
Location

Please draw a simple section for one

storey of staircase below. A) Clear height = mm

B) Clear width = mm (exclude handrail)

C) Tread width = mm

D) Riser height = mm

E) Number of continuous steps per floor = steps

Any landing in-between floors? YES / NO

Measurement

Handrail from wall = mm,

diameter= mm

09
 [Exercise 4]
Problems of inflated buildings and solutions
Many developers have been criticized for bending regulations to gain additional saleable space. Patrick Lau, who was
a member of the Architectural, Surveying and Planning Functional Constituency of the Legislative Council from 2010-
2011, wrote a letter to China Daily on 22 October 2010. Answer the following questions after reading the article below.

Taking the air out of inflated buildings

There have been concerns in Hong Kong over the rise of the “inflated building” problem. This problem

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
stems from some developers making use of the concessionary policy to enhance our living environment by
allowing private buildings to increase floor area to encompass green and amenity features. I concur with
the Chief Executive in his latest Policy Address that the government has reviewed this policy and decided to
tighten it.

In the days following the announcement of the Policy Address, the Secretary for Development had been
conducting a number of high-profile interviews to elaborate on these new measures and reiterate the
government’s determination to implement this policy. By next April, the government will introduce a
package of measures which includes:

a. excluding concessions for certain features (e.g. entrance voids, mail rooms, miniature logistics service
rooms), except mandatory building features and features beneficial to the community, e.g., refuse storage
and material recovery rooms, fire refuge areas, essential plant rooms and other services, or communal sky
gardens;

b. lowering the level of concessions for car parks, balconies, utility platforms and clubhouse facilities;

c. reducing the maximum permissible bay window area;

d. imposing an overall cap of 10 percent for green and amenity features that comply with the Sustainable
Building Design Guidelines, with submission of “BEAM Plus Assessment” conferred by the Hong Kong Green
Building Council and energy efficiency data...

Furthermore, the Transport and Housing Bureau will also establish a steering committee to discuss
regulating the sale of first-hand flats by legislation and put forward practicable recommendations within
one year, including using saleable floor area for the calculation of the flat size*. As one of the members of
this steering committee, we will have opportunities to work out improvement measures...

In the meantime, I certainly welcome the decision to use saleable floor area for the calculation of flat sizes.
After all, the Lands Department has been using the method of calculating saleable floor area adopted by the
Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors, and the Property Information Online provided by the Rating and Valuation
Department also contains information on the “saleable floor area” of large number of residential properties.
This is most important because many people did not realize what they had bought was not what they had
expected until after they had moved into their flats. This led to many unnecessary disputes and grievances
in society....

by Patrick Lau, China Daily, 22 October 2010

*see Appendix VI for further reference

[External Reference]
Original text can be found at:
ht t p ://w w w.cd ec lip s.c o m /en/ho ng k o ng /f ulls t o r y.
ht ml?id =53759 10
1 What is ‘inflated building’? Can you suggest causes for this phenomenon?
2 In the article, it mentioned that the Government would introduce a new policy to tighten the
concession on green features and amenities by April 2011. Can you name one of the revisions you
came across in this lesson?
3 How can the Government encourage green features and amenities without allowing developers to
violate the spirit of the policy?

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong

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Summary
1. According to the Building Ordinance (CAP123) of 1956, statutory standards such as ordinances,
regulations and guidelines are needed to ensure the safety and healthiness of Hong Kong’s built
environment, including residential buildings.
2. Lighting and ventilation are crucial to a healthy living environment. Regulations and guidelines on
windows are therefore important. Special provisions for bay windows were intended as a green
initiative to promote environmentally friendly design in private residential buildings.

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
3. Standards for the design of vertical circulation arose because it is important to provide adequate
circulation pathways and means of escape in case of emergency. Scissor staircases are an
innovative solution to the statutory standards and limited building footprints in Hong Kong.

Key words
Health and safety
Bay window
Scissor staircase
Buildings Ordinance
Building (Planning) Regulations
Buildings Department

Further reading
1. Buildings Ordinance & Regulations.
ht tp: / / www. le gis lat ion.gov.hk /blis _ind.ns f/We b Vie w ?Op enAgent & v w p g =CurAllEn g D
oc*1 2 3 *0 *1 2 3 # 123
2. PNAP Part B - Application of the Buildings Ordinance and Regulations.
ht tp: / / www. bd. gov.hk /englis h/document s /ind ex _ p na p.ht ml
3. Code of Practice for Fire Safety in Buildings 2011 (English version).
ht tp: / / www. bd. gov.hk /englis h/document s /co d e/fs _ c o d e2011. p d f
4. Building Department. ht t p://w w w.bd.gov.hk
5. Second Package of Incentives to Promote Green and Innovative Buildings, Buildings Department,
Lands Department, Planning Department - Joint Practice Note No. 2
ht tp: / / www. bd. gov.hk /englis h/document s /jo int /J P N 02.p d f

Organizer Sponsor Research Team

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Appendix:
Development Parameters for
Private Residential Buildings
I ) Site Area
Net Site Area Net Site Area
• Site for Domestic Plot Ratio Purposes

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Development Site Area Development
• Internal Roads Site Area
• Zoned Facilities required by population alone: open space,
primary schools, secondary schools, community centres,
recreational facilities
Gross Site Area
Gross Site Area
• District Roads
• G/ICs not required for population alone
• Other non-anciliiary uses p Site Area Definitions according to the Hong Kong
• Slopes Planning Standards and Guidelines Chapter 2
(2.1), Planning Department

II ) Site Classification
Class A Site (Building (Planning) Regulations 18A) Class A Site Class B Site Class C Site
A building site which abuts on one street or
no more than one street

Class B Site (Building (Planning) Regulations 18A)

A corner site which abuts on 2 streets, with at least 40% of site
boundary abuts on streets

Class C Site (Building (Planning) Regulations 18A) p Site Clarification according to the Hong Kong
A corner site which abuts on 3 streets, with at least 60% of site Planning Standards and Guidelines Chapter 3
boundary abuts on streets (3.6), Planning Department

III ) Site Coverage

building
Site coverage is a measure to control the building bulk (PNAP site mass site coverage
19). According to Building (Planning) Regulation 2, site coverage boundary above 15m
is defined as “the area of the site that is covered by the building
that is erected thereon”.

50% 100% 8-15 m = 100%

site coverage site coverage over 61 m = 33%

p Site coverage for domestic buildings

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IV ) Gross Floor Area (GFA)
According to Building (Planning) Regulations 23(3a), GFA is “the area contained within the outer surface of
external walls of a building measured at each floor level... together with the area of each balcony... and the
thickness of the external walls of the building”. GFA affects population density indirectly and has town plan-
ning implications.
Bay window areas are
exempted from GFA calculations
because they are considered
to be a green feature, but they
are also included in saleable
areas.

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
Saleable areas for a single unit

p GFA of a typical private p Areas exempted from GFA calculations and common corridors are
residential building plan counted in saleable areas

V ) Plot Ratio
Plot ratio controls The density of development in public and private residential
• Amount of GFA in buildings areas in Hong Kong is guided by plot ratio:
• Building volume
• Profit return: the higher the plot ratio, the more
Gross Floor Area (the Building)
GFA a developer is able to build up to and maxi Plot Ratio =
mize profit return Site Area (net)
• Population density: affects indirectly among the
other factors such as flat size and occupant per
flat ratio
— Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines Chapter 3
(3.6) , Planning Department

Usable Floor Space means any floor space

other than staircases, staircase halls, lift
landings, the space used in providing
water-closet fitments, urinals and
lavatory basins and the space occupied
by machinery for any lift, air-conditioning
system or similar service.
 
Storey means the space between the
upper surface of every floor and the
upper surface of the floor next above it
where such a floor exists, and in the case
of a top storey, the space between the
p Maximum permitted site coverage and plot ratio in relationship upper surface of that floor and the mean
to building height for domestic buildings height of the ceiling or roof.
— Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines Chapter 3 (3.6),
Planning Department

14
VI ) Common Building Elements

1. Bay window (PNAP 68)*

2. A/C hood (PNAP 68)*

Design and Applied Technology | Health and Safety Controls on Private Residential Buildings in Hong Kong
3. Natural lighting and ventilation
to kitchen

(Building Planning Regulations 30)

4. Wall finishes and pipe works

running on external wall are
not accounted in GFA
p Typical private residential
(PNAP 68)* & (Building Panning
development as guided by building
Regulation 23)
regulations

*PNAP 68: Design and Construction of Cantilevered Reinforced Concrete Structures.

Full text can be downloaded at w w w.bd.gov.hk /englis h/d o cument s /ind ex _ p na p.ht m l

15