TABLE OF CONTENTS - The Professional Green Building Council

Theme B: Creating a livable, healthy and environmentally viable citiesThe design concept adopted a “civic hub” design approach which has beenstrategically located and provided with essential facilities to create a focal point inthe estate. This ‘civic hub’, together with the podium garden acting as a naturalmeeting point, provides multi-faceted estate facilities, easily accessible forresidents to meet and socialise.The central ‘civic hub’ comprises of a 3-storey central air-conditioned commercialcentre with a total floor area of 5,800 sq. meters, an air-conditioned market withstall area of 800 sq. meters, 744 car-parking spaces, 112 light goods vehicleparking spaces, 75 motorcycling parking spaces. A covered public transportinterchange is now centrally located along with the educational and social welfareaccommodation; kindergartens, a day nursery, clinics and Residential Care Homefor the Elderly, as the supporting facilities for the convenience of the public5.2 Environmental Considerations5.2.1 A Green and Healthy Living EnvironmentIn the planning of the original Kwai Chung Estate, which was essentially part of aprogramme for fast track emergency housing, there was no clear theme for theplanning of play and recreation, with no provisions for sheltered seating nor formalplanning of passive and active recreation. Though there had been estateimprovements over the years, the estate lacked green spaces and external areaswere fragmented and predominantly concrete paved with play and recreationfacilities which fell far short of the standards of new estates.A large housing estate such as Kwai Chung, has a significant impact on the districtas a whole and hence play and recreation spaces for the district were planned inconsultation with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) of theHong Kong Government and with the local District Council. Two sites have beenspecifically designed in consultation with the LCSD as local open spaces for theuse of the residents of the district and will be under their management uponcompletion. Landscaping, play and recreation within the estate follows the HA’s272