For discussion
PWSC(98-99)19
on 7 October 1998

ITEM FOR PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE
OF FINANCE COMMITTEE

HEAD 703 - BUILDINGS
Education - Primary
226EP - Primary school at Aldrich Bay reclamation, Shau Kei Wan
246EP - Primary school in Siu Sai Wan
248EP - Second primary school in area 31, Tin Shui Wai
253EP - Primary school in area 90B, Sha Tin
254EP - Primary school in area 100, Sha Tin

Members are invited to recommend to Finance Committee the upgrading of 226EP, 246EP, 248EP, 253EP and 254EP to Category A at an estimated total cost of $605.3 million in money-of-the-day prices for the construction of five primary schools, one in Shau Kei Wan, one in Siu Sai Wan, one in Tin Shui Wai and two in Sha Tin.

PROBLEM

There are not enough primary 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 $605.3 million in money-of-the-day (MOD) prices -

		Project Estimate $ million (MOD)
(a)226EP-	Primary school at Aldrich Bay reclamation	120.2
(b)246EP-	Primary school in Siu Sai Wan	108.8
(c)248EP-	Second primary school in area 31, Tin Shui Wai	107.9
(d)253EP-	Primary school in area 90B, Sha Tin	131.0
(e)254EP-	Primary school in area 100, Sha Tin 137.4
Total		605.3

PROJECT SCOPE AND NATURE

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

1. 30 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 school places and to help achieve the policy target of enabling 60% of pupils in public sector primary 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. Eastern District now has 27 public sector primary schools providing 562 classrooms. D of E forecasts that an additional 24 classrooms will be required to meet increase in demand for school places by the school year 2002/03 through the construction of 246EP. In addition, 226EP would enable an existing bi-sessional government primary school in the district to convert into whole-day operation.

6. Yuen Long District now has 45 public sector primary schools providing 674 classrooms. D of E forecasts that an additional 508 classrooms will be required to meet increase in demand for school places by the school year 2002/03. Nine primary schools projects providing 270 classrooms have already been upgraded to Category A and planned for completion from the school year 2001/02. 248EP will further reduce the shortfall; the remaining shortfall will be met by other school projects which are being planned.

7. Sha Tin District now has 41 public sector primary schools providing 1 017 classrooms. Whilst D of E forecasts that no additional classrooms are required to meet increase in demand for school places by the school year 2002/03, 253EP and 254EP, together with one 30-classroom primary school project upgraded to Category A and planned for completion in the school year 2000/01, will enable existing bi-sessional primary schools in the district to convert into whole-day operation.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

8. We estimate the capital costs of 226EP, 246EP, 248EP, 253EP and 254EP to be $120.2 million, $108.8 million, $107.9 million, $131 million and $137.4 million respectively in MOD prices (see paragraph 9 below), made up as follows -

	226EP	246EP	248EP	253EP	254EP
	$ million
(a) Piling	17.7	14.6	11.7	23.1	29.8
(b) Building	49.1	49.0	49.1	49.2	49.1
(c) Building services	11.0	11.2	12.1	13.5	12.1
(d) Drainage and external works	9.0	6.9	8.5	9.0	8.5
(e) Furniture and equipment	4.2	-	-	4.2	4.2
(f) Contingencies	8.7	8.2	8.1	9.5	10.0
	______	______	______	______	______
Sub-total	99.7	89.9	89.5	108.5	113.7	(at December 1997 prices)
(g) Inflation allowance	20.5	18.9	18.4	22.5	23.7
	______	______	______	______	______
Total	120.2	108.8	107.9	131.0	137.4	(in MOD prices)
	______	______	______	______	______

The construction floor areas of the five projects are 10 526 square metres. The respective construction unit costs are shown at the Enclosure. D Arch S considers the estimated construction unit costs reasonable. A comparison of the standard cost of a primary school with the project estimates of these projects is also at the Enclosure.

9. Subject to approval, we will phase the expenditure for 226EP, 246EP, 248EP, 253EP and 254EP as follows -

Year	$ million (Dec 1997)					Price adjustment factor	$ million (MOD)
	226EP	246EP	248EP	253EP	254EP		226EP	246EP	248EP	253EP	254EP
1998 - 99	-	0.5	-	-	-	1.06000	-	0.5	-	-	-
1999 - 2000	51.7	40.8	44.9	54.8	55.5	1.14878	59.4	46.9	51.6	63.0	63.8
2000 - 01	38.5	40.3	37.8	43.8	48.0	1.24642	48.0	50.2	47.1	54.6	59.8
2001 - 02	9.5	8.3	6.8	9.9	10.2	1.35237	12.8	11.2	9.2	13.4	13.8
	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____		______	______	______	______	______
	99.7	89.2	89.5	108.5	113.7		120.2	108.8	107.9	131.0	137.4
	_____	_____	_____	_____	_____		______	______	______	______	______

10. We derived 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 clearly 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 $17.9 million.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

12. We consulted the Community Building Committee of the Eastern Provisional District Board on 246EP and 226EP in July and December 1996 respectively, the Social Services and Publicity Committee of the Yuen Long Provisional District Board on 248EP in September 1998 and the Education and Welfare Committee of the Sha Tin Provisional District Board on 253EP and 254EP in September 1998. Members of the respective Boards supported the projects.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS

13. D Arch S completed and Director of Environmental Protection (DEP) vetted the Preliminary Environmental Reviews (PERs) for 226EP in July 1998, 246EP in May 1998 and 248EP, 253EP and 254EP in March 1998. DEP 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 Standard and Guidelines -

Project No.	Mitigation Measures	Estimated Cost $ million (at Dec 1997 prices)
226EP	(a) construction of a 3-metre high solid boundary wall at the southern and western sides of the site boundary facing Road 9/2A and Road 9/4; and	0.4
	(b) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to one special room on the 3/F at the western facade of the special room block.	0.3
246EP	(a) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to two special rooms on the 2/F at the north-eastern facade as well as two special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the south-western facade of the special room block.	0.4
248EP	(a) construction of 3-metre high solid boundary walls along the northern boundary, eastern boundary and portion of the southern boundary of the school site; and	0.5
	(b) provision of insulated windows and air conditioning to eight classrooms on the 3/F, 4/F, 5/F and 6/F at the north-eastern facade of the classroom block as well as four special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the southern and northern facades of the special room block.	1.4
253EP	(a) construction of 3-metre high solid boundary walls at the southern and western sides of the site boundary facing Road C and Road B; and	0.5
	(b) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to 14 classrooms from the 1/F to the 6/F at the southern facade of the classroom block as well as four special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the eastern facade of the special room block.	2.9
254EP	(a) provision of insulated windows and air-conditioning to four special rooms on the 2/F and 3/F at the western facade of the special room block.	1.4

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

LAND ACQUISITION

15. The five projects do not require land acquisition.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

16. We upgraded 226EP to Category B in July 1996, 246EP, 248EP, 253EP and 254EP in July 1998. We have completed site investigations for the five projects. We are in the process of preparing the detailed working drawings and tender documents using in-house staff resources.

17. We plan to start the construction works for the projects in March 1999 for completion in August 2000.

Education and Manpower Bureau
September 1998

Enclosure to PWSC(98-99)19

	Standard cost*	226EP	246EP	248EP	253EP	254EP
	($ million at Dec 1997 prices)
(a) Piling	9.7	17.7	14.6	11.7	23.1	29.8	(See note A)
(b) Building	49.0	49.1	49.0	49.1	49.2	49.1	(See note B)
(c) Building services	10.8	11.0	11.2	12.1	13.5	12.1	(See note C)
(d) Drainage and external works	8.0	9.0	6.9	8.5	9.0	8.5	(See note D)
(e) Furniture and equipment	-	4.2	-	-	4.2	4.2	(See note E)
(f) Contingencies	7.8	8.7	8.2	8.1	9.5	10.0
	_____	_____	_____	_____	______	______
Total	85.3	99.7	89.9	89.5	108.5	113.7
	_____	_____	_____	_____	______	______
(g) Construction floor area	10 526m2	10 526m2	10 526m2	10 526m2	10 526m2	10 526m2
(h) Construction unit cost {[(b)+(c)]÷(g)}	$5,681/m2	$5,710m2	$5,719/m2	$5,814/m2	$5,957m2	$5,814/m2

* 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 the use of 112 number 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 30-classroom primary school site area of 6 200 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. Piling costs for the proposed schools are adjusted to suit individual site conditions and are based on the use of the following -

	226EP	246EP	248EP	253EP	254EP
Type	Steel H-pile	Bored pile	Steel H-pile	Steel H-pile	Steel H-pile
Number	230	31	128	148	155
Depth (metres)	48	30	38	65	80

B. For 226EP, 248EP, 253EP and 254EP, the building costs are higher because of the provision of insulated windows as a noise mitigation measure.

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

D.	(i) For 226EP, the cost for drainage and external works is higher because of the construction of 3-metre high solid boundary walls at the southern and eastern sides of the site as well as the provision of ductile iron drain pipes with flexible joint for reclamation site.
	(ii) For 246EP, the cost for drainage and external works is lower because the site area (5 011m2) is smaller than that of the standard school.
	(iii) For 248EP, the cost for drainage and external works is higher because of the construction of 3-metre high solid boundary wall along the northern boundary, eastern boundary and portion of the southern boundary of the school site.
	(iv) For 253EP, the cost for drainage and external works is higher because of the construction of a 3-metre high solid boundary wall at the south-western side of the site as well as the provision of ductile iron pipes and flexible joints for reclamation site.
	(v) For 254EP, the cost of drainage and external works is higher because of the provision of ductile iron drain pipes and flexible joints for reclamation site.

E. For 226EP, $4.2 million is required for the cost of furniture and equipment for the school to be operated as a government primary school converted into whole day operation. For 253EP and 254EP, $4.2 million is required for each school for the cost of furniture and equipment as the two schools will be allocated to existing bi-sessional schools for conversion to whole-day operation.

(PWSC0010/WIN1)