For discussion
PWSC(98-99)21
on 7 October 1998

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Education - Primary
239EP - Two 24-classroom primary schools in South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau
244EP - A 24-classroom primary school in Lok Wah Estate, Kwun Tong
255EP - A 24-classroom primary school in area 39A, Fanling

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 239EP, 244EP and 255EP to Category A at an estimated cost of $412.3 million in money-of-the-day prices for the construction of two 24-classroom primary schools in Ap Lei Chau, one in Kwun Tong and one in Fanling.

PROBLEM

There are not enough schools to meet the increase in demand for new school places and to accelerate the implementation of whole-day primary schooling.

PROPOSAL

2. The Director of Architectural Services (D Arch S), with the support of the Secretary for Education and Manpower, proposes to upgrade the following projects to Category A at an estimated total cost of $412.3 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices -

Project Estimate
$ million
(MOD)
(a) 239EP - Two 24-classroom primary schools in South Horizon, Ap Lei Chau 210.0
(b) 244EP - A 24-classroom primary school in Lok Wah Estate, Kwun Tong 99.1
(c) 255EP - A 24-classroom primary school in area 39A, Fanling 103.2
Total412.3

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

3. The four 24-classroom primary schools will adopt the latest standard and schedule of accommodation for standard primary schools to be completed from year 2000 (Year 2000 design). Each school will have -

  1. 24 classrooms;

  2. six special rooms, including a computer-assisted learning room and a language room;

  3. four remedial teaching rooms;

  4. a guidance activity/interview room;

  5. two interview rooms;

  6. staff rooms and a staff common room;

  7. a student activity centre;

  8. a conference room;

  9. a library;

  10. an assembly hall;

  11. a multi-purpose area; and

  12. ancillary accommodation including a lift and relevant facilities for the handicapped.

JUSTIFICATION

4. To meet increase in demand for primary school places and to help achieve the policy target of enabling 60% of pupils in public sector schools to study on a whole-day basis by the commencement of the school year 2002/03, the Director of Education (D of E) has been making plans to build an additional 73 primary schools for completion by August 2002. As at September 1998, 24 of these schools have been upgraded to Category A and three have been completed.

5. Southern District now has 17 public sector primary schools providing 301 classrooms. D of E forecasts that 24 additional classrooms will be required to meet the increase in demand for school places by the school year 2002/03. Two primary schools projects providing 60 classrooms have already been upgraded to Category A and are planned for completion in the school year 1999/2000. 239EP will enable existing bi-sessional primary schools in the district to convert into whole-day operation.

6. Kwun Tong District now has 30 public sector primary schools providing 702 classrooms. D of E forecasts that an additional 152 classrooms will be required to meet increase in demand for school places by the school year 2002/03. Two primary schools projects providing 60 classrooms have been upgraded to Category A and planned for completion in the school year 2000/01. 244EP will further reduce the shortfall, the remaining shortfall will be met by other school projects which are being planned.

7. North District now has 33 public sector primary schools providing 453 classrooms. Whilst D of E forecasts that no additional classrooms will be required to meet the increase in demand for school places by the school year 2002/03, 255EP together with one 30-classroom primary school project already upgraded to Category A and planned for completion in the school year 1999/2000, will enable existing bi-sessional primary schools in the district to convert into whole-day operation.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

8. We estimate the capital cost of 239EP, 244EP and 255EP to be $210 million, $99.1 million and $103.2 million respectively in MOD prices (see paragraph 9 below), made up as follows -


239EP

244EP

255EP



$ million


(a) Slope improvement works

-

4.6

-


(b) Piling

23.6

4.5

12.1


(c) Building

90.4

45.2

45.3


(d) Building services

24.4

12.5

12.3


(e) Drainage and external works

13.1

7.9

4.7


(f) Furniture and equipment

8.0

-

4.0


(g) Contingencies

15.2

7.5

7.4



_____

_____

_____


Sub-total

174.7

82.2

85.8

(at December

1997 prices)

(h) Inflation allowance

35.3

16.9

17.4



_____

_____

_____


Total

210.0

99.1

103.2

(in MOD prices)


_____

_____

_____


The respective construction floor areas and construction unit costs of the projects are shown at the Enclosure. D Arch S considers the estimated construction unit costs reasonable. A comparison of the standard cost of a 24-classroom primary school with the estimated costs for these projects is also at the Enclosure.

9. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure for 239EP, 244EP and 255EP as follows -

Year

$ million
(Dec 1997)

Price adjustment
factor

$ million
(MOD)


239EP

244EP

255EP


239EP

244EP

255EP

1998 - 99

-

0.5

-

1.06000

-

0.5

-

1999 - 2000

92.7

41.0

46.5

1.14878

106.5

47.1

53.4

2000 - 01

69.5

32.9

31.7

1.24642

86.6

41.0

39.5

2001 - 02

12.5

7.8

7.6

1.35237

16.9

10.5

10.3


_____

_____

_____


_____

_____

_____


174.7

82.2

85.8


210.0

99.1

103.2


_____

_____

_____


_____

_____

_____

10. We derive the MOD estimates on the basis of Government's forecast of trend labour and construction prices for the period 1998 to 2002. We will tender the works under fixed-price lump-sum contracts because we can define the scope of works in advance, leaving little room for uncertainty.

11. We estimate the additional annually recurrent expenditure for each school to be $14.6 million.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

12. We consulted the Southern Provisional District Board on 239EP in July 1998, the Social Services Committee of the Kwun Tong Provisional District Board on 244EP in July 1998 and the Social Service Committee of the North Provisional District Board on 255EP in September 1998. Members supported the projects.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

13. Based on the Preliminary Environmental Reviews (PERs) completed by D Arch S, the Director of Environmental Protection recommends the following environmental mitigation measures to keep the road traffic noise impact on the proposed schools within the limits stipulated in the Hong Kong Planning Standards and Guidelines -

Project
No.

Mitigation Measures

Estimated Cost
$ million
(at Dec 1997
prices)

239EP

For school A



(a) construction of a 3-metre high solid boundary wall around the site boundary; and

0.5


(b) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to

12 classrooms on the 1/F to the 6/F at the eastern facade of the classroom block as well as five special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the southern and northern facades of the Assembly Hall Wing.

2.0


For school B



(a) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to

17 classrooms on the 1/F to the 6/F at the southern and northern facades of the classroom block as well as four special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the eastern and western facades of the special room block.

2.4

244EP

(a) construction of a 3-metre high solid boundary wall along the south-western site boundary facing Chun Wah Road; and

0.3


(b) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to

17 classrooms on 1/F to 6/F at the southern and western facades of the classroom block as well as one special room on 3/F at the southern facade of the special room block.

2.5

255EP

(a) construction of a 3-metre solid boundary wall at the northern and south-eastern sides of the site boundary; and

0.2


(b) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to 15 classrooms on the 2/F to the 6/F at the north-eastern facade of the classroom block and four special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the north-western and south-eastern facades of the special room block.

2.4

We have included the costs of these mitigation measures in the project estimates.

14. We will control noise, dust and site run-off nuisances during construction through the implementation of mitigation measures under the relevant contracts.

LAND ACQUISITION

15. None of the three projects require land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

16. We upgraded 239EP, 244EP, and 255EP to Category B in September 1998. D Arch S has completed site investigations for the three projects and is preparing the detailed working drawings and tender documents using in-house staff resources. We plan to start the construction works for the projects in January 1999 for completion in August 2000.


Education and Manpower Bureau
September 1998



(PWSC0017)

Enclosure to PWSC(98-99)21

A comparison of the standard cost of a 24-classroom primary school project with the estimated costs of the proposed school projects


Standard
cost*

239EP#

244EP

255EP



$ million
(at Dec 1997 prices)


(a) Slope improvement works

-

-

4.6

-

(See note A)

(b) Piling

9.0

11.8

4.5

12.1

(See note B)

(c) Building

45.0

45.2

45.2

45.3

(See note C)

(d) Building services

10.2

12.2

12.5

12.3

(See note D)

(e) Drainage and external works

6.7

6.55

7.9

4.7

(See note E)

(f) Furniture and equipment

-

4.0

-

4.0

(See note F)

(g) Contingencies

7.1

7.6

7.5

7.4



_____

_____

_____

_____


Total

78.0

87.35

82.2

85.8



_____

_____

_____

_____


(h) Construction floor area

9 500m2

9 500m2

9 500m2

9 500m2


(i) Construction unit cost
{[(c)+(d)]÷(h)}

$5,810/m2

$6,042/m2

$6,074/m2

$6,063/m2


# Assuming the costs for the two schools under 239EP are the same, the average cost per school is taken for comparison.

*Assumptions for standard cost

1. The estimation is based on the assumption that the school site is uncomplicated and without abnormal environmental restrictions. No allowance is reserved for specific environmental restrictions such as the provision of insulated windows, air-conditioning and solid boundary walls to mitigate noise impacts on the school.

2. No site formation works/geotechnical works are required as they are normally carried out by other government departments under a separate engineering vote before the handing-over of the project site for school construction.

3. Piling cost is based on 101 numbers of steel H-piles at an average depth of
30 metres, on the assumption that percussive piling is permissible. It also includes costs for pile caps, strap beams and testing. No allowance is reserved for the effect of negative skin friction due to fill on reclaimed land.

4. Cost for drainage and external works is for a standard 24-classroom primary school site area of 4 700 square metres built on an average level site without complicated geotechnical conditions, utility diversions, etc. (i.e. a greenfield site).

5. No consultancy services are required.

6. Furniture and equipment costs are excluded as they are usually borne by the sponsoring body of an aided school.

7. The standard cost for comparison purpose is subject to review regularly. We will review, and revise if necessary, the standard cost which should be adopted for future projects.

Notes

A. For 244EP, the school platform is located below an existing slope which will be allocated to the Education Department. As a consequence of the school development, Geotechnical Engineering Office requires additional slope stabilisation measures to be carried out. These measures, consisting mainly of a grid of soil nails, are required to meet the current standards for slope safety and must be in place prior to the occupation of the school.

B. Piling costs for the proposed schools are adjusted to suit individual site conditions are based on the following -


239EP

244EP

255EP


School A

School B



Type

Steel H-pile

Steel H-pile

Steel H-pile

Steel H-pile

Number

101

138

102

110

Depth (metres)

30

28

15

21

For 244EP, the piling cost is lower due to the reduced depth of piles.

C. The building costs for all the four schools are higher because of the provision of insulated windows as a noise mitigation measure.

D. The building services costs for all the four schools are higher because of the provision of air-conditioning as a noise mitigation measure.

E. (i) For 239EP, the cost for drainage and external works is lower because the site area of the two schools (3 840 square metres for each school) are smaller than that of a standard 24-classroom primary school, in spite of the construction of a 3-metre high solid boundary wall around the school site of School A.

(ii) For 244EP, the drainage and external works cost is higher partly due to the provision of a solid boundary wall along the south-western corner of the site boundary as a noise abatement measure and partly due to the need for water main diversion.

(iii) For 255EP, the cost for drainage and external works is lower due to the smaller site area (3 020m2), in spite of the construction of a 3-metre high solid boundary wall at the northern and south-eastern side of the site.

F. For 239EP and 255EP, $4 million is required for each school for the cost of furniture and equipment as the schools will be allocated to existing bi-sessional schools for conversion to whole-day operation. The cost of furniture and equipment for 244EP also estimated to be $4 million, will be borne by the school sponsor as the school will be allocated for operation as a new aided school.

(PWSC0017)